By 
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has commenced an investigation into global technology companies, including Meta and X, over allegations of unfair business practices affecting Nigeria’s media industry.
The inquiry follows a directive from Bola Ahmed Tinubu after the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO) submitted a petition highlighting concerns about the impact of major digital platforms on local news publishers and media businesses.
In a statement, the FCCPC disclosed that the investigation will also examine the activities of generative artificial intelligence platforms operating within Nigeria.
The presidential directive was communicated to the commission through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
The petition was jointly submitted by 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 the media organisations, several global technology companies—including Meta, Alphabet, X and certain generative AI providers—are allegedly engaging in practices that weaken competition, undermine the financial sustainability of Nigerian media organisations and affect the rights of publishers and content creators.
Commenting on the investigation, FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, said the commission would conduct an impartial, transparent and evidence-based review.
He noted that while the media plays a critical role in strengthening Nigeria’s democracy, technology companies also contribute significantly to innovation and economic development. According to him, the commission’s responsibility is to establish the facts and determine whether competition within the country’s digital ecosystem complies with existing laws.
Bello emphasised that the investigation should not be interpreted as an assumption of wrongdoing by any of the companies involved.
Instead, he explained, the inquiry is intended to provide an opportunity for all parties to present evidence while enabling the commission to determine whether any business practices have resulted in anti-competitive conduct or violated Nigeria’s consumer protection and competition laws.
As part of the investigation, the FCCPC will assess allegations relating to abuse of market dominance, anti-competitive practices and the commercial use of copyrighted journalistic content.
The commission will also examine claims that news articles, broadcast materials and other media content have been extracted or used without authorisation to train generative AI models, as well as concerns that Nigerian publishers have not received fair commercial compensation for the use of their content by global technology platforms.
The FCCPC noted that it has previously taken enforcement action against Meta over alleged violations of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act. In 2025, a Nigerian court upheld a $220 million penalty imposed on the company, although the decision remains under appeal.
The commission also referenced developments in South Africa, where an investigation by the country’s competition regulator led to an agreement under which Google committed to compensate South African news organisations for the use of their content over a multi-year period.
The latest investigation underscores Nigeria’s increasing focus on promoting fair competition in the digital economy while ensuring that local media organisations and content creators receive equitable treatment as global technology platforms continue to expand their influence across the country’s digital landscape.
Comments