Meta Appeals  Court Judgment In Femi Falana Rights Case

Meta Platforms, Inc. has approached the Court of Appeal challenging a Lagos State High Court judgment awarding human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) $25,000 in damages over a video publication alleged to have violated his fundamental rights.

The appeal, dated April 10, 2026, arises from Suit No. LD/18843MFHR/2025, wherein Justice O. A. Oresanya entered judgment for Falana in a fundamental rights enforcement suit.

In its Notice of Appeal filed by legal team led by Mofesomo Tayo-Oyetibo (SAN), Meta formulated eight grounds challenging both the trial court’s jurisdiction and the decision’s merits.

A key issue is whether the lower court rightly assumed jurisdiction under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules. Meta contended Falana’s claims were founded on alleged false publication and reputational injury, properly falling within defamation law, not fundamental rights enforcement.

The appellant argued that by entertaining the suit under Fundamental Rights procedure, the trial court “wrongly assumed jurisdiction over a matter outside its constitutional competence.”

On liability, Meta challenged the finding holding it liable under the doctrine of undisclosed principal, submitting no evidence established any principal-agent relationship between it and the video’s publisher, AfriCare Health Centre.

Meta maintained the disputed content was generated by an independent third party, and as an intermediary platform, it neither originated nor exercised editorial control over the material.

The appellant further faulted the conclusion it breached Section 24(1)(a) and (e) of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, arguing it was erroneously classified as a data controller with no evidence showing it determined the purpose or means of processing personal data in the publication.

Meta also challenged the $25,000 damages award as “unwarranted and not supported by the evidence before the court,” urging the appellate court to set it aside.

Additionally, the appellant alleged denial of fair hearing, claiming the trial court suo motu raised and determined issues without affording parties opportunity to address the court, and failed to consider critical defence arguments.

Meta seeks an order allowing the appeal and setting aside the trial court judgment in its entirety.