The Federal Government has explained that its investigation into the operations of tech giant Meta is aimed at ensuring the company follows Nigerian laws.
National Commissioner of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr. Vincent Olatunji, made this known in Abuja on Friday during a training programme for government developers tagged “Innovating with Privacy: Building Trust in Government Digital Services.”
Meta, a U.S.-based company, owns popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Threads.
It will be recalled that the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) recently fined Meta 220 million dollars over data privacy violations.
“We are not out to punish unnecessarily. But any organization that refuses to comply with our laws will face sanctions,” Olatunji warned.
The training was designed to build the digital skills of staff across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
Olatunji said the investigation into Meta requires a joint effort by multiple agencies to ensure a detailed and fair process, with proper mechanisms to resolve the issues.
He explained that government is particularly worried about how citizens’ data is collected and used both locally and internationally.
According to him, the government also considers the economic value of data to citizens and the nation and is committed to aligning with global best practices.
He added that because of the sensitive role of data in governance and business, government will take every legal step needed to sanitize the digital space.
“The future of governance is digital, but it can only succeed if citizens trust it. Privacy is the foundation of that trust,” he said.
Olatunji stressed that building trusted digital services is not the duty of government alone, but requires contributions from the private sector, civil society, and citizens.
“Together, we can create a citizen-focused, innovative digital nation that will serve as a model of trust and progress for others,” he concluded.
