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The owners of Facebook, Meta Platform have been slammed with a lawsuit of N30 billion for violation of advertising standards in Nigeria.

We understand that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), leave to serve a writ of summons on owners of the social media giants.

The Nigerian advertising regulatory agency is seeking N30 billion in fines and sanctions for the continued violations and infractions of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No. 23 of 2022.

The court as gathered, gave the nod pursuant to an application by ARCON in a pending N30 billion suit against the social media giant for violation of the extant advertising laws of Nigeria.

This online news platform learnt from Nigerian Tribune that the writ is to be served at the United States corporate headquarters of Meta which also owns Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp social media platforms.

In the N30 million suit,  Meta is the first defendant and AT3 Resources Limited is the second defendant.

In the suit, ARCON prayed for a declaration that the publication of various advertisements and marketing communications materials targeted at Nigeria through Meta’s platforms without prior vetting and approval by Advertising Standards Panel is illegal.

The Nigerian advertising regulatory agency asserted that the act by Meta disregarded Nigerian culture, constitutional tenets, moral values and religious sensitivity of citizens.

ARCON is, therefore, seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their privies, agents, servants and associates from publishing any advertising or marketing communications materials without recourse to ARCON in line with the country’s advertising law.