President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate global technology companies, including Google, Meta and X, over allegations of anti-competitive practices and the unauthorised use of content belonging to Nigerian media organisations.
The directive follows a petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), a coalition 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 media bodies accused major digital platforms and certain Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) companies of benefiting from Nigerian journalistic content without providing adequate compensation to publishers and content creators.
In a statement issued on Monday by the FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, the commission confirmed that the investigation would examine allegations involving global technology firms and AI platforms operating within Nigeria.
According to the statement, the probe will focus on claims of anti-competitive conduct, unlawful exploitation of news content, abuse of market dominance and other business practices that may threaten the sustainability of Nigeria’s media industry.
The commission stated that concerns have grown within the Nigerian media ecosystem over the increasing influence of digital platforms on advertising revenue, audience engagement and content distribution, with many publishers arguing that technology companies derive significant commercial value from news content without fairly compensating its creators.
“The investigation promises to open a new vista in Nigeria’s media history,” the FCCPC said, noting that Nigerian publishers have become increasingly concerned about practices capable of undermining fair competition, the commercial viability of media organisations and the rights of content owners.
FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, assured stakeholders that the investigation would be conducted transparently and based strictly on evidence.
“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 an indication of guilt against any company under investigation.
“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.
A major aspect of the investigation will focus on allegations that some technology and AI platforms engage in the unauthorised extraction, scraping, ingestion and commercial use of copyrighted news articles, broadcast content and other original journalistic materials to train and develop artificial intelligence models.
The FCCPC will also investigate complaints that Nigerian publishers have been denied meaningful opportunities to negotiate fair licensing arrangements, compensation agreements and commercial partnerships for the use of their content.
The development reflects a growing global debate over the relationship between traditional media organisations and technology platforms that distribute, aggregate and monetise news content.
Several countries have already introduced measures aimed at ensuring publishers receive compensation for the use of their content by digital platforms.
In Australia, Canada and parts of Europe, regulations have compelled technology companies to negotiate payment agreements with media organisations.Similarly, in South Africa, interventions by the South African Competition Commission led to an agreement under which Google committed to paying approximately $40 million annually to support local news publishers over a multi-year period.
Industry observers believe the outcome of the Nigerian investigation could reshape the relationship between media organisations and technology companies while influencing future policies on artificial intelligence, copyright protection and digital competition.
The probe also comes less than a year after the FCCPC secured a landmark judgment against Meta over alleged violations of Nigeria’s competition and consumer protection regulations, including data privacy concerns. The commission had imposed a $220 million penalty on the company, a decision Meta is currently challenging on appeal.
With the latest directive from President Tinubu, attention is now focused on how regulators will balance innovation and technological growth with the protection of intellectual property rights, fair competition and the long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s media industry.
The investigation is expected to have significant implications for publishers, technology firms, advertisers and consumers as Nigeria seeks to define the future of its digital information ecosystem.
