Meta Challenges Falana Victory, Files Appeal Against Lagos Court Judgment
Meta Platforms, Inc. has taken steps to overturn a Lagos State High Court judgment that ruled in favour of human rights lawyer Femi Falana, escalating a major legal dispute over digital rights and platform responsibility in Nigeria.
The appeal, filed on April 10, 2026, stems from a case decided by Justice O. A. Oresanya, where the court awarded Falana $25,000 in damages over a video publication said to have violated his rights. The case has drawn attention due to its potential impact on how online platforms are regulated.
Meta, through its legal team led by Mofesomo Tayo-Oyetibo, raised multiple grounds in its appeal, challenging both the legal reasoning and procedures adopted by the trial court.
A key argument by the company is that the case was wrongly handled as a fundamental rights matter. Meta maintained that the issues involved were related to alleged false publication and reputational damage, which should fall under defamation law rather than constitutional rights enforcement.
The tech firm argued that by allowing the suit under fundamental rights rules, the court exceeded its jurisdiction and entertained a matter it was not legally empowered to decide.
Meta also disputed the court’s reliance on the doctrine of undisclosed principal, insisting there was no evidence linking it to the publisher of the controversial video, identified as AfriCare Health Centre. It maintained that the content was created by an independent third party.
The company further stated that it does not exercise editorial control over user-generated content, describing itself as an intermediary platform rather than a direct publisher of such materials.
In addition, Meta challenged the finding that it breached provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, arguing that it was wrongly classified as a data controller in the circumstances of the case.
The appeal also seeks to overturn the $25,000 damages awarded to Falana, with the company describing the compensation as unjustified.
Meta raised concerns about fair hearing, alleging that the trial court introduced and ruled on certain issues without giving both parties the opportunity to address them.
The case is expected to proceed to the appellate court, where a final decision could shape future legal interpretations on digital platforms, liability, and enforcement of rights in Nigeria.