Nigeria Regulator Seeks $70 Million Penalty in Lawsuit Against Meta

Nigeria Regulator Seeks $70 Million Penalty in Lawsuit Against Meta
A car passes Facebook's new Meta logo on a sign at the company headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., on Oct. 28, 2021. Tony Avelar/AP Photo
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ABUJA, Nigeria—A Nigerian advertising regulator has sued Meta, accusing the owner of Facebook and WhatsApp of publishing unauthorized ads and seeking a 30 billion naira ($70 million) fine.

The lawsuit filed in a local court by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, or ARCON, is the regulator’s latest action that analysts say could hurt businesses highly dependent on digital ads for their growth.