Meta Platforms Inc.’s threat to suspend operations of Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria is stirring deep concern among stakeholders, especially within the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector. According to information technology experts, the potential exit could disrupt operations for over 20 million MSMEs that depend on Meta’s platforms for visibility, marketing, and customer engagement.
Industry players warn that the company’s possible withdrawal amid a $290 million regulatory fine dispute could also lead to massive job losses, reduced tax revenues, and a sharp downturn in Nigeria’s digital economy, which has been growing steadily in recent years.
The crisis began when three Nigerian regulatory agencies imposed a combined fine of over $290 million on Meta for various alleged violations. Despite legal attempts to overturn the decision, courts ordered Meta to pay the fines by June 2025. In response, the tech giant threatened to shut down access to Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria—an ultimatum many experts see as a high-stakes tactic.
In a similar pattern globally, Meta has faced severe regulatory scrutiny. In the European Union, it was fined a record €1.2 billion in 2023 for breaching GDPR rules, and again in 2025, incurred another €200 million fine for its controversial “consent or pay” ad model. Yet, it did not pull out of these lucrative markets.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has called Meta’s threat to exit Nigeria a “pressure tactic,” pointing out that the firm has weathered steeper penalties elsewhere without threatening market exits.
With 39.6 million MSMEs operating in Nigeria, and 56 percent of them relying heavily on Meta’s platforms, the impact of a shutdown would be devastating.
“Small businesses have grown their entire customer base using Facebook and Instagram. This is not just a marketing tool; it’s the heartbeat of daily operations,” said Olayinka Shobola, a Digital Marketing Consultant at EssenceMediacom.
He emphasized that while some businesses might pivot to platforms like TikTok or X (formerly Twitter), such a transition would take time, money, and significant strategy shifts. “The damage would be instant. Thousands of marketers, influencers, and content creators would lose income overnight.”
Nigeria’s digital advertising economy is also at stake. Statista projects the social media advertising market to hit $148.2 million in 2025, with Meta commanding over $120 million of that share. With more than 38 million users reachable via Meta platforms, businesses, NGOs, and even public institutions rely on them for public engagement and service delivery.
“My entire bakery business runs on Instagram,” said Fatima Tunde, a Lagos-based entrepreneur. “If Instagram goes, I go too.”
Aside from MSMEs, thousands of jobs across tech support, digital content creation, influencer marketing, and consultancy services are tethered to Meta’s continued presence in Nigeria.
While Meta’s exact tax contributions in Nigeria remain undisclosed, it is among the top tax-compliant international digital service providers. In the first nine months of 2024, Nigeria collected over N3.85 trillion in tax revenues from foreign digital firms, including Meta, Google, and Netflix.
Analysts believe that forcing Meta out of the market would mean forfeiting a significant revenue stream for the federal government.
Speaking to The PUNCH, Co-founder and Co-CEO of XchangeBox, Abiola Jimoh, criticized Meta’s posture. “Threatening to exit Nigeria sends the wrong message to both users and regulators. This should be an opportunity to improve compliance, not a reason to abandon a high-growth market,” he stated.
Temitope Ogundipe, Executive Director of Techsocietal, called for a more balanced resolution. “Meta’s platforms are lifelines—not luxuries—for millions. From activists to single mothers running side businesses, losing access to these platforms means losing economic and social agency,” she said.
Nigeria’s internet economy is one of the fastest-growing in Africa, supported by 164.3 million active internet subscriptions and a digitally savvy population. For a global tech powerhouse like Meta, exiting such a market may be more damaging in the long run than complying with regulatory standards.
As the June deadline approaches, many are hoping for compromise, fearing that Meta’s departure could cripple the country’s fragile digital infrastructure and displace millions of small businesses already battling inflation, high operational costs, and economic uncertainty