The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) and Meta Platforms Inc., parent company of Facebook and Instagram, have agreed to settle over the former’s $32.8 million fine and a series of compliance orders issued against the latter for alleged data privacy violations involving Nigerian users.
The legal teams of both parties disclosed the development to Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja, who had earlier fixed the day for a ruling on NDPC’s preliminary objection against Meta and its motion to amend its court filings.
In its preliminary objection filed before the court, the NDPC insisted that Meta’s suit was grossly incompetent and that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case.
The Commission argued that Meta failed to comply with the rules guiding judicial review processes under Order 34 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019.
At the day’s proceedings, Meta’s lawyer, Fred Onwuobia, SAN, urged the court to defer the ruling on the preliminary objection and the motion on notice to amend, as the parties have “reached an advanced stage of settlement” in this case.