FG Orders FCCPC to Investigate Global Tech Firms, AI Platforms Over Alleged Exploitation of Nigerian Media Content
The Federal Government has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate the activities of major global technology companies and Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms over allegations of anti-competitive practices and the unlawful use of content belonging to Nigerian media organisations.
The directive followed a 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 government’s decision was conveyed to the FCCPC in a letter signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
According to the petition, Nigerian media organisations have raised concerns over the growing influence of major technology companies, including Meta, Alphabet, X (formerly Twitter), and some Generative AI platforms, alleging practices that undermine fair competition, threaten the sustainability of the country’s media industry and infringe on the rights of publishers and content creators.
Reacting 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.
He stated that the inquiry would objectively examine the allegations to determine whether any company had engaged in anti-competitive conduct or unfair business practices contrary to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018 and other applicable laws.
Bello stressed that the investigation does not presume wrongdoing by any organisation, noting that all affected parties would be given a fair opportunity to present their positions before any decision is reached.
Among the issues to be examined are allegations of market dominance, anti-competitive practices, unauthorised scraping and commercial use of copyrighted news articles, broadcast materials and other original journalistic content for training Generative AI models.
The Commission will also investigate concerns over the absence of fair commercial agreements between global technology companies and Nigerian media organisations, particularly claims that publishers have been denied adequate compensation for the use of their content.
The FCCPC noted that it had previously investigated Meta and, in 2025, secured a landmark judgment against the company over violations of the FCCPA, including data privacy breaches, resulting in a $220 million fine. The company has since appealed the judgment.
The Commission also referenced similar developments in South Africa, where following an investigation by the South African Competition Commission, Google agreed to compensate South African news media with approximately R688 million (about $40 million) annually for a period of three to five years.
The FCCPC said its investigation aims to ensure that Nigeria’s digital marketplace remains competitive, transparent and fair while protecting the rights and commercial interests of local media organisations.
FG Orders FCCPC to Investigate Global Tech Firms, AI Platforms Over Alleged Exploitation of Nigerian Media Content