By Our Correspondent
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate major global technology companies and Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms over allegations of anti-competitive practices and the unlawful use of content belonging to Nigerian media organisations.
The directive followed a joint petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), an umbrella body comprising the Newspaper Proprietors' Association of Nigeria, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria, and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers.
The Federal Government conveyed the President's directive to the FCCPC through a letter signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
The planned investigation is expected to mark a significant development in Nigeria's media landscape, amid growing concerns that the business practices of some digital platforms are threatening the sustainability of the country's news industry.
The NPO has accused leading technology firms, including Meta, Alphabet, X, as well as several Generative AI platforms, of engaging in practices that undermine fair competition, weaken the commercial viability of Nigerian media organisations, and infringe on the rights of publishers and content creators.
Responding to the directive, FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, assured stakeholders that the Commission would carry out an independent, transparent and evidence-based investigation.
Bello said the Commission recognises both the critical role of the media in sustaining Nigeria's democracy and the importance of technology in promoting innovation and economic growth.
He stressed that the inquiry does not presume any company guilty of wrongdoing but is intended to establish the facts, hear all parties involved, and determine whether any conduct amounts to anti-competitive behaviour or unfair business practices under Nigerian law.
According to him, every organisation involved will have the opportunity to present relevant information before any conclusions are reached.
The FCCPC will specifically examine whether the alleged practices violate the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act or any other applicable legislation.
Among the issues under investigation are allegations of abuse of market dominance, the unauthorised extraction, scraping and commercial use of copyrighted news articles, broadcast materials and other original journalistic content to develop and train Generative AI models. The Commission will also examine claims that global technology companies have failed to negotiate fair compensation or commercial agreements with Nigerian news publishers for the use of their content.
The latest investigation comes after the FCCPC secured a landmark legal victory against Meta in 2025 over violations of the FCCPA, including data privacy breaches. The Commission imposed a $220 million fine on the company, a decision that remains under appeal.
Similar regulatory action has been taken elsewhere on the continent. Following an investigation by the South African Competition Commission, Google agreed to compensate South African news media with R688 million (approximately $40 million) annually for a period of three to five years under a negotiated settlement.
The FCCPC's findings are expected to shape future regulation of digital platforms and determine the relationship between global technology companies and Nigeria's media industry.
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