By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria has endorsed the recent judgment of the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal, upholding a $220m fine imposed on Meta Platforms Incorporated by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
FCCPC’s fine imposition, and subsequent affirmation by the CCPT, has generated differing opinions from Nigerians, particularly after the regulatory commission disclosed how it reached the decision.
NPAN, however, in a statement jointly issued by its President, Malam Kabiru Yusuf, and General Secretary, Angela Emuwa, on Saturday expressed its approval of FCCPC’s decision.
The association described the development as a “significant milestone” in Nigeria’s push to ensure digital accountability and safeguard citizen rights in the fast-evolving digital space.
“Respect for national sovereignty must extend to the digital domain, where the rights and interests of citizens deserve the same robust protections as in any other sphere,” the association stated.
NPAN maintained that Nigeria’s regulatory agency has not done anything untoward stressing that its move is in accordance with a global trend of increasing scrutiny on big tech firms.
To buttress its stance, the association cited similar actions such as the €1.2bn fine imposed on Meta by Ireland in 2023 for General Data Protection Regulation violations, and previous sanctions on Amazon, TikTok, Google, and Apple for data breaches and antitrust practices.
“As an association deeply committed to the defence of civil rights, media freedom, and the public good, NPAN reaffirms its support for strong, fair, and transparent enforcement of laws governing the digital economy.
“It also remains steadfast in promoting the digital rights of publishers to secure fair remuneration for their work and safeguarding intellectual property against exploitation amid the growing complexities of the digital landscape.
“We believe that consistent regulatory vigilance, backed by sustained collaboration among all stakeholders — government agencies, civil society, industry players, and the general public — is essential to ensuring that digital platforms operate responsibly, ethically, and in accordance with Nigeria’s legal and social norms,” NPAN said.
“Strengthening Nigeria’s digital regulatory environment is essential not only to protect individual rights but also to encourage innovation and build trust in our digital economy,” NPAN added.
Recall that the FCCPC had explained that it came to its decision after a 30-month investigation between 2021 and 2023 for unauthorised data sharing and discriminatory practices by Meta against Nigerian users.
