Nigerian human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has filed a $5 million lawsuit against Meta Platforms Incorporated, the parent company of Facebook, alleging a violation of his privacy. The lawsuit, which was filed in February 2025 at the Lagos State High Court, accuses Meta of wrongfully using Falana’s name, image, and voice in an advertisement promoting a health product on its platform.
According to court documents, Falana claims that Meta’s advertisement falsely depicted him as suffering from prostatitis, a medical condition that he has never had. The lawyer asserts that the unauthorized use of his identity in this manner is a direct violation of his constitutional right to privacy. Falana’s legal team pointed to Section 37 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees the right to privacy, as well as relevant provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
Falana is particularly concerned that Meta allowed the advertisement to spread false information, claiming that he had battled prostatitis for over 16 years, experiencing symptoms such as pain, fatigue, and urinary problems. The advertisement was published under a page called “AfriCare Health Centre” on Facebook. Falana insists that he has never interacted with Meta or any of its affiliated pages regarding his health, further denying any connection to the misleading video.
In his court filing, Falana describes the video as “false, misleading, and unfair” to him, emphasizing that it unjustly portrays him as suffering from a condition he has never experienced. He expressed the emotional distress and reputational damage caused by the incident, highlighting the significant impact it has had on his public image.
Falana’s legal team is now seeking a court order to have the video removed immediately from Meta’s platform. Additionally, they are requesting a $5 million general damages award to compensate for the distress and harm caused to his reputation. The lawsuit emphasizes that Meta’s failure to verify the claims before publishing the content has left Falana vulnerable to ridicule and emotional suffering.
“It is a fundamental violation of my privacy rights,” Falana said in his legal documents, referring to the unauthorized use of his likeness in the advertisement. “I have never had any medical dealings with the company or any of its pages, and this video is a blatant misrepresentation of my life.”
As of the time of writing, Meta has yet to respond to the allegations or provide any public comment regarding the lawsuit. The company’s silence on the matter has added to the growing tension surrounding its operations in Nigeria.
This lawsuit is not the first time Meta has faced legal challenges in Nigeria. Last July, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) imposed a hefty fine of $220 million on Meta for breaching Nigerian data protection laws. The fine was levied due to the company’s mishandling of personal data, which further heightened concerns about privacy violations on its platform.
In response to the fine, Meta had threatened to exit Nigeria, citing concerns over the regulatory environment.
