A Federal High Court in Lagos has granted an interim order to stop the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) from imposing a N60 billion fine on Facebook Nigeria.
The court’s decision comes after Facebook filed a motion challenging the demand, claiming it was unjust and unconstitutional.
The ruling, issued by Judge Yellim Bogoro, was made in response to a motion ex-parte application filed by Facebook through its counsel, Mofesomo Tayo-Oyetibo.
The motion sought two main reliefs: an order to prevent ARCON from enforcing its violation notice and a second order to halt any criminal prosecution related to the notice.
In his ruling, Judge Bogoro expressed that he found merit in Facebook’s application, granting the first relief to restrain ARCON from acting on its October 21, 2024, violation notice.
He noted that the injunction would remain in place until a hearing on February 20, 2025. The second part of the application, which sought to prevent criminal charges, was also considered but deemed covered by the first relief granted.
The controversy began when ARCON issued Facebook a notice of violation, demanding compliance and imposing the hefty fine over alleged advertising breaches.
READ ALSO: 18-Year-Old Gukesh Dommaraju Clinches World Chess Title and $2.5M Prize
Facebook contested the demand, arguing that the notice violated its right to a fair hearing, was unlawful under the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act 2022, and was beyond ARCON’s authority.
The social media giant further claimed that ARCON had threatened to pursue criminal charges through the Advertising Offences Tribunal if Facebook did not comply.
Facebook’s legal team stated that such actions would be oppressive and unlawful, especially as they argued the matter was already being contested in court.
This latest court action follows previous legal battles between ARCON and Meta Platforms, Facebook’s parent company.
In July 2024, a federal court in Abuja dismissed a suit ARCON had filed against Meta over unapproved advertisements, continuing the legal back-and-forth between the regulatory body and the social media giant.