WhatsApp has announced that it has taken steps to stay and appeal the ruling by Nigeria’s Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal upholding a $220 million fine imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
In a statement issued on Saturday, the company expressed displeasure with the decision of the tribunal.
On Friday, the tribunal, while upholding the penalty, ordered WhatsApp and its parent company, Meta Platforms Incorporated, to pay an additional $35,000 to the FCCPC for investigative costs.
The $220 million fine was imposed over accusations that WhatsApp and Meta engaged in discriminatory data practices affecting Nigerian users.
Reacting, the messaging giant said, “We are urgently applying to stay the order and appeal today’s decision to avoid any impact to users.
“WhatsApp relies on limited data to run its service and keep users safe and it will be impossible to provide WhatsApp in Nigeria, or globally, without the infrastructure.”
WhatsApp added that disagreed with the tribunal’s findings, noting that the FCCPC’s order included “multiple inaccuracies and misrepresented how WhatsApp worked.”
