WhatsApp threatened to leave Nigeria.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) accused WhatsApp of playing to the gallery by claiming it could be forced to quit Nigeria, after its parent firm, Meta, was fined $220 million for data infractions.

The regulator responded to WhatsApp’s exit threats on X (formerly Twitter), stating that the move the messaging platform "appears to be a strategic move aimed at influencing public opinion and potentially pressuring the FCCPC to reconsider its decision."

Last month, Nigerian authorities fined Meta – the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp – $220 million for breaking privacy and consumer protection rules.

According to the FCCPC, an investigation lasted 38 months, from May 2021 to December 2023, before the penalty was imposed.

Following the fine, WhatsApp threatened to leave Africa's most populated West African country.

On Friday, the FCCPC responded, saying it “investigated Meta Platforms and WhatsApp (jointly referred to as "Meta Parties") for allegedly violating the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).

“The Commission found that Meta Parties engaged in multiple and repeated infringements of the FCCPA and the NDPR.

“These infringements included denying Nigerians the right to control their personal data, transferring and sharing Nigerian user data without authorisation, discriminating against Nigerian users compared to users in other jurisdictions and abusing their dominant market position by forcing unfair privacy policies.”

It added: “The final order requires Meta Parties to take steps to comply with Nigerian law, stop exploiting Nigerian consumers, change their practices to meet Nigerian standards and respect consumer rights.

“To deter future violations and ensure accountability for the alleged infringements the FCCPC also imposed a monetary penalty of $220 million.

“The FCCPC's actions are based on legitimate concerns about consumer protection and data privacy and the order is a positive step towards a fairer digital market in Nigeria. Similar measures are taken in other jurisdictions without forcing companies to leave the market. The case of Nigeria will not be different.”