By Ifeoluwa Odunayo
WhatsApp has vowed to appeal a two hundred twenty million dollar ($220), fine upheld by Nigeria’s Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal over alleged unfair data practices.
The fine, originally imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, accuses WhatsApp and its parent company, Meta Platforms, of mishandling the personal data of Nigerian users.
In a statement issued on Saturday, WhatsApp rejected the tribunal’s ruling, describing it as inaccurate and a misrepresentation of the platform’s operations.
The company said it would urgently seek to pause the tribunal’s order to avoid any service disruptions in Nigeria.
In addition to the fine, the tribunal ordered WhatsApp and Meta to pay an extra thirty five thousand dollars to cover the costs of the FCCPC investigation.
