WhatsApp faces a potential suspension in Nigeria following a $220 million fine imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) for a data privacy breach. The FCCPC has also mandated that WhatsApp cease sharing user data with other Facebook companies and third parties without explicit consent, disclose its data collection practices, and improve user control over data usage.

In response, a WhatsApp spokesperson indicated that complying with the FCCPC’s order might make it technically unfeasible to continue offering the service in Nigeria or globally. Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, has not addressed the FCCPC’s concerns about the 2021 privacy policy update but maintains that the update does not involve sharing user data.