Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has filed a $5 million lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc., accusing the tech giant of unlawfully exploiting his identity in a deceptive online advertisement.
The lawsuit, lodged at the Lagos State High Court on February 3, 2025, alleges that Meta permitted an advertisement falsely claiming Falana had battled prostatitis for 16 years.
The ad, reportedly posted by a Facebook page called “AfriCare Health Centre,” allegedly featured his name, image, and voice to promote a health product—an association he strongly denies.
Falana contends that Meta’s failure to vet the content before its publication resulted in reputational damage and emotional distress. He argues that the unauthorized use of his identity violates his constitutional right to privacy and breaches Nigeria’s Data Protection Act 2023.
Beyond financial damages, Falana is asking the court to order Meta to immediately remove the misleading advertisement and issue a public clarification. He insists the company must be held accountable for allowing false endorsements that could mislead the public.
The case is expected to set a precedent on digital privacy rights and corporate accountability in Nigeria’s evolving legal landscape. A hearing date is yet to be announced.
