President Bola 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 unauthorised use of content belonging to Nigerian media organisations.

The directive follows a joint petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), an umbrella body 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 President’s directive to the FCCPC through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.

According to a statement issued on Monday by the commission, the investigation will examine allegations that some of the world’s biggest technology companies have engaged in practices that undermine fair competition and threaten the sustainability of Nigeria’s media industry.

The companies named include Meta, Alphabet (Google’s parent company), X (formerly Twitter) and certain Generative AI platforms operating in Nigeria.

Allegations under investigation

The FCCPC said the inquiry will determine whether the companies violated provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018 or any other applicable law.

Among the issues to be examined are allegations of abuse of market dominance and anti-competitive conduct.

The commission will also investigate claims that copyrighted news articles, broadcast materials and other original journalistic content belonging to Nigerian media organisations have been extracted, scraped, ingested or commercially used without authorisation to develop and train Generative AI models.

Another key issue is whether global technology companies have denied Nigerian media organisations fair opportunities to negotiate compensation or commercial agreements for the use of their content.

The media organisations argue that these practices have weakened the commercial viability of news publishers and undermined the rights of journalists and content creators.

FCCPC promises a fair hearing

In response to the directives, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, said the commission would conduct an independent, 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,” Mr Bello said.

He stressed that the investigation should not be interpreted as a finding of wrongdoing against any company.

“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,” he added.

According to him, all parties involved will have the opportunity to present their positions before any conclusions are reached.

The latest probe comes after the FCCPC secured a major legal victory against Meta in 2025 over alleged violations of Nigeria’s competition and consumer protection laws.

READ ALSO: SEC lifts ban on BGL Securities, BGL Asset Management

The commission imposed a $220 million penalty on the technology company over alleged data privacy and consumer protection breaches. Meta has appealed the decision.

Global debate

The FCCPC noted that similar concerns have emerged in other countries over the relationship between global technology companies and news publishers.

It cited South Africa, where investigations by the South African Competition Commission eventually led to an agreement under which Google committed to pay about R688 million (approximately $40 million) annually for between three and five years to support the country’s news media.

The commission said its investigation is intended to determine whether similar competition and consumer protection issues exist in Nigeria and whether any regulatory action is warranted.