The Newspaper Proprietors' Association of Nigeria (NPAN) has thrown its weight behind the recent fine imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC)'s Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) on Meta Platforms Incorporated, for the latter's unauthorised data sharing and discriminatory practices against Nigerian users.

The FCCPC's Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) upheld the $220 million fine on the defendant, after a painstaking 30-month investigation period, spanning between 2021 and 2023, discreetly conducted by its parent body, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) for and on the defendant's "unauthorised data sharing and discriminatory practices... against Nigerian users."

The commendation is contained in NPAN's letter to FCCPC and its CCPT Tribunal dated May 2, 2025 and jointly signed by the duo of Mallam Kabiru A. Yusuf, President and Angela Emuwa, General Secretary titled, "STATEMENT ON THE CCT JUDGMENT OF FCCPC's $220M FINE ON META PLATFORM INC."

The body said: ?With significant interest, the Newspaper Proprietors' Association of Nigeria (NPAN) has received the news that the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCT) upheld the $220 million fine imposed on Meta Platforms Incorporated, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram."

NPAN noted in their latter among others that "the CCPT's ruling represents a significant milestone in Nigeria's ongoing efforts to enforce digital accountability and protect the rights of its citizens in the digital age."

Going further, NPAN said "In an era where digital platforms wield enormous influence over societies and economies, it is imperative that companies operating in Nigeria's digital space comply fully with domestic laws and regulations.

"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 newspaper proprietors' body noted.

Going down the memory lane of Meta and other related organisations' similar breaches, NPAN observed: "in 2023, Ireland fined Meta 1.2 billion euros for the company's failure to comply with the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by unlawfully transferring EU user data to the US without adequate safeguards.

"Amazon was fined 746 million euros in 2021 by Luxembourg for a similar breach; while TikTok, Google and Apple have also been penalised at different times for data breaches and anti-trust activities."

Consequently, NPAN in their letter said: "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.

Against the background, NPAN called "for continued efforts to strengthen Nigeria's digital regulatory environment to not only safeguard the rights of individuals but also to foster innovation and trust in the country's growing digital economy.

"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 concluded.

Meta Platforms Incorporated, is the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram.