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 operating in the country over allegations of anti-competitive practices, unlawful use of news content, and other conduct that could undermine the country’s media industry.
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 conveyed the President’s directive in a letter signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
Announcing the development in a statement on Monday, the FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, said the investigation would determine whether the activities of some of the world’s largest technology companies violate Nigeria’s competition laws and threaten the sustainability of local journalism.
The companies named in the inquiry include Meta, Alphabet, and X (formerly Twitter), alongside Generative AI platforms operating in Nigeria.
According to the commission, Nigerian media organisations have raised concerns that the business practices of these firms are distorting competition, undermining the commercial viability of local news organisations, and infringing on the intellectual property rights of journalists and publishers.
The FCCPC described the investigation as one that “promises to open a new vista in Nigeria’s media history,” amid growing global scrutiny of the relationship between digital platforms and traditional news publishers.
Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, said the commission would conduct 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 stressed that the inquiry 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 said.
Bello added that every party involved would be given a fair opportunity to present relevant information before any conclusions are reached.
According to the FCCPC, the investigation will determine whether the alleged conduct violates the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018 or any other applicable Nigerian law.
The probe will examine allegations of market dominance and anti-competitive conduct by global technology companies. It will also investigate claims that Generative AI platforms have engaged in the unauthorised extraction, scraping, ingestion, or commercial use of copyrighted Nigerian news articles, broadcast materials, and other original journalistic content to develop and train artificial intelligence models without the consent of rights holders.
In addition, the commission will assess complaints that Nigerian media organisations have been denied meaningful opportunities to negotiate fair commercial agreements or receive adequate compensation for the use of their journalistic content by global technology firms.
The investigation comes against the backdrop of the FCCPC’s previous regulatory action against Meta. The commission recalled that it secured a landmark judgment against the company in 2025 over alleged violations of the FCCPA, including data privacy breaches, resulting in a $220 million fine. Meta has appealed the decision.
The FCCPC also cited developments in South Africa, where a similar investigation by the South African Competition Commission led to an agreement requiring Google to compensate South African news media with R688 million (about $40 million) annually for a period of three to five years.
The Nigerian media industry has repeatedly expressed concern over the growing dominance of global digital platforms in news distribution and advertising, arguing that the imbalance has weakened the financial sustainability of journalism while allowing technology companies to benefit commercially from professionally produced news content without adequate compensation.
The FCCPC said its investigation would establish the facts and determine whether regulatory intervention is necessary to ensure fair competition, protect intellectual property rights, and foster a more balanced digital ecosystem for technology companies and Nigerian media organisations.