A class action lawsuit is set to be filed against Meta Platforms, Inc., the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, over widespread violations of data protection and privacy rights in Nigeria.
The planned legal action was announced by the Personal Data Protection Awareness (PDPA) Initiative, which said it is seeking judicial redress on behalf of millions of Nigerian users affected by Meta’s data practices.
The move follows an extensive investigation by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), triggered by a petition submitted by the PDPA Initiative in 2023. The commission reportedly found that Meta infringed on the data protection and privacy rights of more than 60 million Nigerians, marking one of the most significant regulatory findings against a global technology company in the country.
A leading privacy lawyer and Convener of PrivCon Nigeria, Olumide Babalola, said the decision to proceed with a class action represents a shift from regulatory engagement to direct litigation. According to him, the lawsuit aims to consolidate affected users into a single action to seek compensation and accountability.
The PDPA Initiative, which is leading the action, confirmed that the suit will rely on the NDPC’s findings as its legal basis. If successful, the case could have implications for data protection enforcement and digital rights in Nigeria and across Africa.
As part of the process, the organisation has issued a public call for Nigerian citizens who use Meta platforms and believe they were affected by the alleged breaches to join the class action. Interested individuals have been directed to register through a dedicated link provided by the initiative.
The case is expected to test the strength of Nigeria’s data protection framework and set an important precedent for holding Big Tech companies accountable for privacy violations in the country.