The Federal Government has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate major technology companies and generative AI platforms over allegations of anti-competitive practices and the unauthorised use of Nigerian news content.

The directive, issued by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, follows a petition from the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), which represents newspaper publishers, broadcasters, editors, journalists and online publishers.

Investigation Targets Big Tech and AI Platforms

According to the FCCPC, the investigation will examine complaints against companies including Meta, Alphabet, X and certain generative AI platforms.

The media organisations allege that some digital platforms have unfairly used Nigerian news content to train AI models, undermined fair competition, and weakened the commercial sustainability of local media businesses.

Focus on Copyright and Competition

The Commission said the inquiry will assess whether the alleged practices violate the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018 or other applicable laws.

Areas under investigation include the unauthorised scraping, extraction and commercial use of copyrighted news articles and broadcast content, abuse of market dominance, and whether Nigerian publishers have been denied fair compensation for the use of their content.

FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, said the investigation will be conducted independently and based on evidence, with all parties given an opportunity to present their positions before any conclusions are reached.

Part of a Broader Regulatory Trend

The FCCPC noted that it has previously taken regulatory action against Meta, securing a $220 million penalty in 2025 over violations of Nigeria's competition and consumer protection laws. The company has appealed the decision.

The Commission also referenced developments in South Africa, where Google agreed to compensate local news publishers following a competition investigation into the use of news content.

The FCCPC said the investigation aims to ensure fair competition within Nigeria's digital economy while balancing the interests of media organisations, technology companies and consumers.