President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate major global technology companies and Generative Artificial Intelligence platforms over allegations of anti competitive practices and the unlawful exploitation of content belonging to Nigerian media organisations.
The move followed a joint petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), comprising the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP).
The Federal Government conveyed the directive to the FCCPC through a letter signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
According to the petition, the media organisations raised concerns over the growing influence of some digital platforms on the sustainability of Nigeria’s news ecosystem and accused major technology companies, including Meta, Alphabet and X, formerly Twitter, as well as some Generative AI platforms, of engaging in practices capable of undermining fair competition, threatening the commercial viability of Nigerian media organisations and eroding the rights of content creators and publishers.
The FCCPC said the investigation would focus on allegations of market dominance and anti competitive conduct, as well as claims involving the unauthorised extraction, scraping, ingestion and commercial use of copyrighted news articles, broadcast materials and other original journalistic content for the development and training of Generative AI models.
The commission will also examine complaints over the absence of equitable commercial arrangements between global technology firms and Nigerian publishers, including allegations that media organisations have been denied opportunities to negotiate fair compensation for the use of their content.
Reacting to the development, FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, said the commission would conduct an independent and evidence based investigation.
“We recognise the strategic importance of the media to Nigeria’s democracy and the equally significant role of technology in driving innovation and economic growth. Our responsibility is to objectively determine the facts and ensure that competition within the digital ecosystem remains fair, transparent, and consistent with Nigerian law,” Bello said.
He stressed that the inquiry should not be interpreted as a presumption of guilt against any of the companies involved.
“This inquiry is not directed at any entity by presumption of wrongdoing. Rather, it is an opportunity to carefully examine the facts, hear from all affected parties, and determine whether any conduct has resulted in anti competitive outcomes or unfair business practices. Every party will be accorded a fair opportunity to present relevant information before any conclusions are reached,” he added.
The FCCPC said the probe would determine whether the alleged practices violate the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 or any other applicable law.
The commission had previously investigated Meta and in 2025 secured a court victory against the company over violations of the FCCPA, including a data breach case that resulted in a $220 million fine, which the company has appealed.
The latest move mirrors developments in South Africa, where complaints by media organisations and an investigation by the South African Competition Commission led to an agreement requiring Google to compensate South African news media with R688 million, equivalent to about $40 million, annually for between three and five years.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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