Meta Platforms has responded to growing complaints from Nigerian users after an unusual notification appeared during Instagram chats.
The alert informed some users that the person they were chatting with might be in Nigeria and advised them not to share personal information unless they knew the person well.
This caused outrage online, with many Nigerians accusing the company of singling out the country.
The alert was first noticed by a Nigerian Instagram user who posted a screenshot of the message.
The notice quickly spread across social media, where many said it felt like discrimination against Nigerians.
Meta later explained that the notification was part of a broader effort to stop online scams.
The company said it had tested a feature that alerted people when they were chatting with someone located in a different country.
Meta insisted that Nigeria was not the only country shown in the alerts, and the test applied worldwide.
Although the test has now ended and country names are no longer being shown, the issue has added to the company’s existing troubles in Nigeria.
In 2024, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) fined Meta $220 million for breaching data privacy rules.
The commission said the company did not give users enough control over how their personal data was being used.
Meta’s attempt to appeal the fine was rejected in April 2025, and the company was ordered to pay the full amount within 60 days.
In response, Meta warned it might leave the Nigerian market.
More than 100 million Nigerians use its platforms—Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—for business and daily communication.
The FCCPC has made it clear that even if Meta decides to leave, it must still pay the fine.
The commission dismissed Meta’s threat as a move to stir public anger and force a reversal of its decision.
