President Bola Ahmed 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 unlawful exploitation of Nigerian media content.
The FCCPC, in a statement, said that the directive followed a joint petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), which 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 position was conveyed to the FCCPC through a letter signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
According to the FCCPC, the investigation will examine allegations of anti-competitive conduct, unauthorised use of journalistic content, and concerns over unfair commercial relationships between global technology firms and Nigerian media organisations.
Major technology companies identified in the petition include Meta, Alphabet, X formerly Twitter, and certain Generative Artificial Intelligence platforms operating in Nigeria.
Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, said the Commission would undertake 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.
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He added that the inquiry is not directed at any entity; rather, it serves as 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 said.
The Commission said it would determine whether the alleged practices contravene the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 or any other applicable law.
Areas under review include allegations of market dominance, unauthorised extraction, scraping, ingestion or commercial use of copyrighted news articles and broadcast materials for the development and training of Generative Artificial Intelligence models, as well as concerns over the absence of equitable compensation arrangements for Nigerian media organisations.
The FCCPC noted that it had previously investigated Meta and secured a landmark judgment in 2025 over violations of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, including data breaches, leading to a fine of 220 million dollars, which the company has appealed.
The Commission also referenced developments in South Africa, where negotiations following an investigation by the South African Competition Commission led to an agreement for Google to compensate South African news media with 688 million rand, equivalent to about 40 million dollars annually for a period of three to five years.
