The Federal Government has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate the operations of major global technology companies and generative artificial intelligence platforms over allegations of anti-competitive practices and the unauthorized use of content produced by Nigerian media organizations.
The directive follows a petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organization (NPO), a coalition comprising the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria (BON), and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP).
According to the government, the petition raises concerns that leading digital platforms have been benefiting commercially from news content created by Nigerian publishers without adequate compensation, a practice the media industry says is threatening the financial sustainability of journalism.
In a statement issued on Monday, the FCCPC said the investigation, authorized through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, will examine the conduct of major technology firms, including Meta, Alphabet (Google’s parent company), X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as selected generative AI platforms operating within the Nigerian market.
The commission said the inquiry would assess allegations that the companies engaged in practices capable of distorting competition, weakening the country’s media ecosystem and undermining the rights of news publishers and content creators.
According to the FCCPC, investigators will determine whether any of the firms have abused market dominance or adopted business practices that violate the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018, or other applicable Nigerian laws.
The probe will also examine claims that journalistic materials, including news reports, broadcast content and other copyrighted works, were harvested and used to develop or train artificial intelligence systems without the consent of publishers.
Another key area of investigation will focus on complaints that Nigerian media organizations have been denied fair opportunities to negotiate commercial agreements or receive compensation for the use of their content by digital platforms.
Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, said the investigation would be conducted independently and based on available evidence.
He noted that while digital innovation remains important to economic development, competition within the technology sector must operate within the framework of Nigerian law.
Bello stressed that the inquiry should not be interpreted as a finding of wrongdoing against any company, explaining that all parties involved would have the opportunity to respond to the allegations before any regulatory conclusions are reached.
The investigation comes as governments across several jurisdictions continue to scrutinize the relationship between global technology companies and news publishers over revenue sharing and the commercial use of journalistic content.
Countries including Australia, Canada and South Africa have introduced measures requiring digital platforms to negotiate payment arrangements with media organizations whose content is distributed or monetized online.
Industry observers say the outcome of Nigeria’s investigation could shape future regulatory policies governing digital platforms, artificial intelligence companies and the protection of intellectual property within the country’s media sector.
The latest move also follows previous enforcement actions by the FCCPC against Meta over alleged violations of Nigeria’s competition and consumer protection laws, a case that remains subject to ongoing legal proceedings.
