President Bola Tinubu has instructed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to open an investigation into leading international technology companies and Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms over claims of anti-competitive behaviour and the alleged unauthorised use of content produced by Nigerian media organisations.
The directive came after the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), an umbrella association made up of 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), submitted a joint petition to the Presidency.
The Federal Government’s instruction to the FCCPC was communicated through a letter signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
According to the statement, the planned investigation will focus on issues highlighted by stakeholders in Nigeria’s media industry regarding the increasing influence of digital platforms and the implications for the long-term sustainability of the nation’s news sector.
The petition identifies major technology firms, including Meta, Alphabet and X, formerly known as Twitter, along with certain Generative AI platforms operating within Nigeria. The media organisations allege that some of the practices of these companies could negatively affect fair competition, threaten the commercial sustainability of Nigerian media organisations, and infringe on the rights of content creators and publishers.
Responding to the directive, the 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 investigation should not be interpreted as a presumption of wrongdoing against any organisation.
“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. Every party will be accorded a fair opportunity to present relevant information before any conclusions are reached,” he added
The FCCPC stated that the investigation will seek to establish whether the allegations amount to violations of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018 or any other relevant legislation.
Among the key issues under review are allegations relating to market dominance and anti-competitive practices, as well as claims involving the unauthorised extraction, scraping, ingestion and commercial exploitation of copyrighted news reports, broadcast content and other original journalistic materials for the creation and training of Generative AI systems.
The commission will also examine complaints regarding the lack of fair commercial arrangements between global technology companies and Nigerian news publishers. These concerns include allegations that local media organisations have not been given meaningful opportunities to negotiate equitable compensation for the use of their content.
The FCCPC recalled that it had previously investigated Meta and obtained a landmark court judgment against the company in 2025 over breaches of the FCCPA, including data privacy violations, which resulted in a $220 million fine. The company has since challenged the ruling on appeal.
The statement further referenced developments in South Africa, where concerns raised by media organisations led to an investigation by the South African Competition Commission. Following the probe, Google agreed to pay South African news media R688 million, approximately $40 million, annually for a period ranging from three to five years.
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