Tinubu Orders Investigation into Google, Meta, X, AI Platforms Over Use of Nigerian News Content
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate major global technology companies and generative artificial intelligence platforms over allegations of anti-competitive practices and the unauthorised use of Nigerian news content.
The directive follows a petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), which represents the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers.
According to a statement issued by FCCPC Director of Corporate Affairs Ondaje Ijagwu, the investigation will examine the activities of major technology firms, including Meta, Google, X and several generative AI platforms operating in Nigeria.
The commission said the probe stems from concerns raised by Nigerian media organisations, which argue that some digital platforms engage in practices that undermine fair competition, weaken the financial sustainability of local news organisations and exploit copyrighted journalistic content without appropriate authorisation or compensation.
FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Tunji Bello said the commission would conduct a fair and impartial investigation.
According to Bello, the inquiry is intended to establish the facts and determine whether any conduct by the companies violates Nigeria’s competition and consumer protection laws.
He stressed that no company is being presumed guilty and that all parties involved will be given the opportunity to present their positions before any conclusions are reached.
The investigation will assess whether the alleged conduct breaches the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 and other applicable laws.
Among the issues under review are allegations of market dominance, anti-competitive behaviour, and the unauthorised scraping, extraction and commercial use of copyrighted news articles, broadcast materials and other journalistic content to train generative AI models.
The commission will also examine complaints that Nigerian publishers have limited opportunities to negotiate fair commercial agreements or receive compensation for the use of their content on digital platforms.
The move mirrors regulatory efforts in other countries where governments have pushed technology companies to compensate news publishers for the use of their content.
The latest investigation follows an earlier legal dispute between the FCCPC and Meta. Last year, the regulator imposed a $220 million penalty on the company over alleged breaches of Nigeria’s competition and consumer protection laws, including data privacy concerns. The decision remains under appeal.
The outcome of the latest inquiry could shape future regulation of digital platforms, AI services and news publishing in Nigeria, while determining whether global technology companies will be required to adopt new compensation arrangements with local media organisations.
