A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has ordered Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, to pay human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) the sum of $25,000 in damages for invasion of privacy in a judgment delivered on January 13, 2026.
Justice Olalekan Oresanya held that a global technology company that hosts content for commercial benefit owes a duty of care to individuals affected by content on its platforms and cannot simply rely on a “hosting” or intermediary defence when harm from misinformation is reasonably foreseeable.
Falana sued Meta over a video published on Facebook under the caption “AfriCare Health Centre” that falsely suggested he suffered from a medical condition known as prostatitis, arguing that the publication intruded into his private life and damaged his reputation.
The court ruled that publication of false and sensitive medical information constituted a breach of his right to privacy under Nigerian law, even though he is a public figure.
The judgment also found that Meta determines the means and purposes of processing content, monetises pages, and controls algorithms, making it jointly responsible for the harmful video.
The court held that the inaccurate, harmful processing of Falana’s personal data violated provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act and that Meta failed to implement adequate safeguards to prevent or mitigate harm, justifying the award of damages.
