The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has commenced an investigation into the activities of major global technology companies and Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms operating in Nigeria over allegations of anti-competitive practices, unlawful use of news content and other potentially unfair market conduct.
The investigation follows a directive by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after receiving a joint petition from the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), according to a statement issued by the FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu.
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 Commission in a letter signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
The petition raises concerns over the growing influence of major digital platforms on the sustainability of Nigeria’s news industry, with media organisations alleging that some technology companies engage in practices that undermine fair competition, threaten the commercial viability of local media and infringe on the rights of content creators and publishers.
Among the companies identified are Meta, Alphabet, and X, as well as Generative AI platforms operating within the country.
Reacting to the development, FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, said the Commission would conduct an independent, transparent and evidence-based investigation.
According to Bello, the inquiry is intended to establish the facts and determine whether competition within Nigeria’s digital ecosystem remains fair, transparent and compliant with the law.
He stressed that the investigation should not be interpreted as a presumption 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.
The FCCPC said the investigation will examine whether the alleged conduct violates the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 or any other applicable law.
Among the issues under review are allegations of abuse of market dominance, the unauthorised extraction, scraping, ingestion and commercial use of copyrighted news articles, broadcast materials and other original journalistic content for the training and development of Generative AI models.
The Commission will also investigate concerns over the absence of equitable commercial arrangements between global technology companies and Nigerian media organisations, including allegations that local publishers have been denied meaningful opportunities to negotiate fair compensation for the use of their content.
The FCCPC noted that it had previously investigated Meta over alleged violations of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, including data privacy breaches, resulting in a $220 million fine in 2025. The company has appealed the decision.
The Commission also pointed to developments in South Africa, where negotiations followed an investigation by the South African Competition Commission, leading to an agreement under which Google would compensate South African news media with R688 million (about $40 million) annually for a period of three to five years.
The outcome of the FCCPC investigation is expected to shape the future relationship between global technology companies and Nigeria’s media industry, particularly in the areas of digital competition, copyright protection and fair compensation for journalistic content.
