LAGOS — Response Architects Ltd, trading as ShopEX and the pioneer teleshopping enterprise in Nigeria, has instituted its legal case against Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. In a ruling by the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday, 8th July 2025, the court granted ShopEX interim protection, ordering Meta not to delete the company’s Instagram & Facebook accounts pending the hearing of ShopEX’s application to have the accounts reactivated. The hearing has been scheduled for 23rd July 2025.
The legal action stems from what ShopEX alleges was the wrongful deactivation of its social media accounts—an action that the company claims has resulted in hundreds of millions of naira in lost revenue and poses an existential threat to its operations.
In an affidavit, CEO Ekene Achikeh outlines how ShopEX invested over ₦26 million in advertising on Meta platforms, building a loyal audience of more than 25,000 followers through tailored content and campaigns. The suit claims the accounts were suspended without proper investigation, based solely on a disputed complaint by Jay At Play, a Hong Kong-based company with which ShopEX had a legitimate commercial distribution relationship.
“We built our business on Meta’s platforms while adhering to all their guidelines. After years of investment and brand development, our accounts were terminated based on a single unverified email. No business—especially one based in Nigeria—should be subjected to such arbitrary treatment,” said Achikeh.
Following the initial deactivation in early 2023, ShopEX attempted to recover by launching new accounts. However, Meta disabled those as well, citing associations with the original profiles. Despite repeated attempts to appeal through Meta’s internal channels and the submission of extensive documentation, the company reports receiving only automated responses. Meta has since indicated that the accounts are scheduled for permanent deletion by 26 July 2025.
The business impact has been severe. ShopEX’s revenue through Meta platforms plummeted from ₦146 million in 2021 to just ₦16 million in 2023. The company attributes this downturn to Meta’s lack of human oversight and what it perceives as discriminatory practices against African businesses.
“This case is bigger than just ShopEX. It’s about the systemic challenges African businesses face in the global digital economy,” said UK-based investor and Chairman Ed Hall. “Meta profits from African advertisers, but when issues arise, there’s no recourse—only silence. This must change.”
The case which comes could become a landmark moment in defining digital rights and corporate accountability in Nigeria’s evolving tech landscape.
