President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate major global technology companies and Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms over allegations of anti-competitive practices and the unauthorised use of content produced by Nigerian media organisations.
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).
According to a statement issued on Monday by the FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, the investigation was conveyed through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
The commission said the probe would examine allegations against major technology companies, including Meta, Alphabet, the parent company of Google, X (formerly Twitter), as well as Generative AI platforms operating in Nigeria.
The FCCPC said the inquiry followed concerns by Nigerian media organisations that global digital platforms have continued to benefit commercially from journalistic content without adequate compensation, a trend they argue is threatening the sustainability of the country’s news industry.
“The investigation promises to open a new chapter in Nigeria’s media history,” the commission said, noting that media stakeholders have expressed growing concerns over the impact of digital platforms on the viability of local journalism.
According to the statement, the petition alleges that the activities of some technology companies are capable of undermining fair competition, weakening the commercial viability of media organisations and infringing on the rights of publishers and content creators.
FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, said the commission would conduct a transparent, evidence-based investigation and ensure that all affected parties are given the opportunity to present their positions.
“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 a presumption of wrongdoing against any company.
“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,” he added.
The FCCPC said investigators would determine whether the alleged conduct violates the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018, or any other relevant legislation.
Among the issues under review are allegations of abuse of market dominance, anti-competitive practices, and the unauthorised scraping, ingestion and commercial use of copyrighted news articles, broadcast materials and other original journalistic content for the training and development of Generative AI models.
The commission will also examine complaints that Nigerian publishers have been denied meaningful opportunities to negotiate fair compensation and commercial agreements for the use of their content.
The investigation comes amid increasing global scrutiny of the relationship between technology companies and news publishers, with several countries introducing measures requiring digital platforms to compensate media organisations for the use of their content.
In South Africa, for instance, an investigation by the country’s Competition Commission led to an agreement under which Google committed to pay local news publishers about R688 million annually for a period of between three and five years.
The Nigerian probe also follows the FCCPC’s earlier enforcement action against Meta, which resulted in a $220 million penalty over alleged violations of Nigeria’s competition and consumer protection laws, including data privacy concerns. Meta has appealed the decision.