From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate major technology companies and Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms over allegations of anti-competitive practices, unlawful exploitation of news content, and other unfair market conduct affecting Nigeria’s media industry.
The directive followed a joint petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO).
In a statement issued in Abuja, the FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, said the investigation would focus on major global technology companies as well as Generative AI platforms operating in Nigeria.
The NPO comprises 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’s directive was conveyed to the FCCPC in a letter signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris.
The planned investigation is expected to mark a significant development in Nigeria’s media industry. In recent years, concerns have grown over the impact of digital platforms on the sustainability of the country’s news ecosystem.
According to the NPO, major technology companies, including Meta, Alphabet, X (formerly Twitter), and certain Generative AI platforms, have engaged in practices that could undermine fair competition, threaten the commercial viability of Nigerian media organisations, and infringe on the rights of content creators and publishers.
Reacting to the directive, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Mr. Tunji Bello, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to conducting an independent, transparent, 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 clarified that the investigation should not be interpreted as an indication of wrongdoing by any company.
“This inquiry is not directed at any entity based on a 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 given a fair opportunity to present relevant information before any conclusions are reached,” he added.
According to Bello, the FCCPC will determine whether the alleged practices violate the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018 or any other applicable law.
He recalled that the Commission had previously investigated Meta and, in 2025, secured a landmark judgment against the company over violations of the FCCPA, including data privacy breaches, resulting in a $220 million fine. Meta has appealed the judgment.
The new investigation will examine allegations of abuse of market dominance and other anti-competitive conduct.
It will also assess claims of the unauthorised extraction, scraping, ingestion, or commercial use of copyrighted news articles, broadcast materials, and other original journalistic content for the development and training of Generative AI models.
In addition, the Commission will investigate concerns over the lack of equitable commercial arrangements between global technology companies and Nigerian news publishers.
At the centre of the complaint is the allegation that Nigerian media organisations have been denied meaningful opportunities to negotiate fair compensation for the use of their journalistic content.
A similar development occurred in South Africa, where complaints by media organisations prompted an investigation by the South African Competition Commission.
The process eventually led to an agreement under which Google committed to paying South African news publishers R688 million (about $40 million) annually for a period of three to five years.
