Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has filed a $5 million lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, accusing it of violating his privacy.
Falana claims that Meta wrongly used his name, image, and voice in a false advertisement for a health product, falsely portraying him as suffering from prostatitis, a condition he denies having.
In his suit, filed at the Lagos State High Court on February 3, 2025, Falana argues that Meta’s actions violate his right to privacy under Section 37 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Sections 24(1)(A) and (E) & Section 34(1)(D) of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
Falana alleges that the false advertisement was published on the “AfriCare Health Centre” page on Facebook, claiming he had suffered from prostatitis for over 16 years and experienced symptoms such as pain, fatigue, and urinary issues.
He stated in court filings that he had no involvement with the respondent or its pages regarding his health and that the video was both false and damaging.
Falana is seeking a court order for Meta to remove the misleading video immediately, a declaration that his privacy rights were violated, and $5 million in damages for the distress and harm caused to his reputation.
He contends that Meta’s failure to verify the claims before publishing exposed him to ridicule and emotional pain, arguing that the false publicity was driven by Meta’s desire to boost user engagement and ad revenue at his expense.
The court has not yet set a date for the hearing.
