NDPC, Meta, opt for settlement in $32.8m data privacy sanction

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) and Meta Platforms, Inc., connected Friday, agreed to settee retired of tribunal implicit the quality connected the $32.8 cardinal good imposed against the second by the regulatory agency.

Counsel for the parties told Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court successful Abuja soon aft the substance was called for ruling.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Omotosho had, connected July 16, fixed contiguous for ruling connected NDPC’s preliminary objection against the suit filed by Meta, the genitor institution of Facebook and Instagram.

The justice had besides scheduled contiguous for ruling connected Meta’s petition to amend its process.

The NDPC had, connected Feb. 18, imposed some a remedial interest of 32,800,000 US dollars and 8 corrective orders against Meta Inc.

The American multinational exertion institution was alleged to person violated the cardinal privateness rights of its Nigerian users with respect to behavioural advertizing connected Facebook and Instagram.

Dissatisfied with the action, Meta Platforms Inc., successful an ex parte question dated and filed connected Feb. 26, dragged the regulatory bureau to tribunal arsenic the sole respondent.

In the question ex parte marked FHC/ABJ/CS/355/2025 and moved by Fred Onuofia, SAN, connected March 4, Justice Omotosho granted 1 of the 2 orders sought.

The justice had granted permission to Meta to commence proceedings by mode of judicial reappraisal seeking, inter alia, an bid of certiorari quashing the compliance and enforcement orders dated Feb. 18 issued by NDPC against the company.

It urged the tribunal to nullify “all different investigations, proceedings and actions taken by responsive against the applicant starring to the ‘Final Orders’.”the respondent

The judge, however, refused to assistance Meta’s alleviation seeking a enactment of the proceedings of each matters relating to the “Final Orders” issued by NDPC against it, pending the proceeding and determination of the judicial reappraisal proceedings.

Instead, the justice made an bid for an accelerated proceeding of the suit.

But NDPC, successful a preliminary objection filed by its lawyer and the caput of ALPHA & ROHI Law Firm, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, told the tribunal that the suit was incompetent and the tribunal lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the same.

At the scheduled ruling, Meta’s lawyer, Onwuobia, begged the tribunal to defer the ruling connected NDPC’s preliminary objection and the question connected announcement to amend their suit.

He told the tribunal that the parties had reached an precocious signifier connected colony successful this case.

The lawyer said colony was the enactment the parties had resolved to opt for, stating that the parties “are afraid” that the ruling mightiness impact discussions connected settlement.

“The draught presumption of colony person been exchanged,” helium said.

He, therefore, urged the tribunal to assistance an adjournment for a study of settlement.

NDPC’s lawyer, Adedipe, confirmed Onwuobia’s submission.

According to him, colony discussions person precocious appreciably.

The elder lawyer urged the tribunal to adjourn truthful they could instrumentality with colony presumption that the tribunal would follow arsenic a “consent judgement” for the parties.

Justice Omotosho, successful response, held that since the tribunal encouraged settlement, helium was inclined not to present the planned ruling.

He subsequently adjourned the substance until Oct. 31 for either a ruling oregon adoption of presumption of settlement.

The regulatory agency, successful its objection dated April 10 and filed April 11 by Adedipe, urged the tribunal to either onslaught retired oregon disregard the case.

Adedipe, successful 2 grounds of argument, submitted that the originating summons filed by the institution is incompetent for non-compliance with the mandatory proviso of Order 34 Rule 6(1) of the FHC (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019.

Quoting the provision, the lawyer said, “No crushed shall beryllium relied upon oregon immoderate alleviation sought astatine the hearing, but the grounds and reliefs sought successful the statement.”

He besides argued that the suit, arsenic presently constituted, is grossly incompetent and academic, the reliefs sought therein not being susceptible of activating the jurisdiction of the court.

“The suit is liable to beryllium struck out/dismissed successful limine,” Adedipe had argued.

The good against Meta came arsenic 1 of the mea...