FCCPC Opens Investigation Into Big Tech, AI Platforms

President Tinubu Orders FCCPC to Probe Big Tech Over Alleged Infringement on Nigerian Media Organisations
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate major global technology companies over allegations of anti-competitive practices, unlawful exploitation of news content, and other suspected unfair market conduct affecting Nigerian media organisations.

The investigation will also extend to Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms operating within Nigeria.
The directive followed a joint petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), an umbrella body 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 Federal Government conveyed the President’s directive to the FCCPC through a letter signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris.
The planned investigation is expected to mark a significant development in Nigeria’s media landscape. In recent years, media stakeholders have expressed growing concern over the influence of certain digital platforms on the sustainability of the country’s news industry.
According to the NPO, major technology companies, including Meta, Alphabet, X (formerly Twitter), and some Generative AI platforms, are allegedly engaging in practices that could undermine fair competition, threaten the commercial viability of Nigerian media organisations, and infringe on the rights of content creators and publishers.
Reacting to the directive, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Mr. Tunji Bello, assured that 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 an assumption 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 will specifically determine whether the alleged practices violate the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018 or any other applicable Nigerian law.
The Commission had previously investigated Meta and, in 2025, secured a landmark judgment against the company over alleged violations of the FCCPA, including data privacy breaches, resulting in a $220 million fine. Meta has since appealed the ruling.
The fresh investigation will examine allegations of market dominance and anti-competitive conduct. It will also look into claims of unauthorised extraction, scraping, ingestion, or commercial use of copyrighted news articles, broadcast materials, and other original journalistic content for the development and training of Generative AI models.
Another major issue under review is the alleged lack of fair commercial engagement between global technology companies and Nigerian news publishers, particularly claims that local media organisations have been denied meaningful opportunities to negotiate equitable compensation for the use of their journalistic content.
A similar process in South Africa, following complaints by media organisations and an investigation by the South African Competition Commission, eventually led to an agreement under which Google committed to paying South African news media R688 million (about $40 million) annually for a period of three to five years.