President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate major global technology companies, including Meta, Alphabet (Google), X, and several Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms over allegations of anti-competitive practices and the unlawful exploitation of content produced by Nigerian media organisations.
The directive followed a joint petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), which comprises key media stakeholders. The petition alleges that some digital platforms have used Nigerian news content without fair compensation, undermined fair competition, threatened the commercial viability of local media organisations, and infringed on the rights of publishers and content creators.
According to the FCCPC, the investigation will also examine whether the companies have engaged in market practices that violate Nigeria's competition and consumer protection laws. The Commission said the probe would be conducted transparently and based on credible evidence, while giving all affected companies an opportunity to respond to the allegations.
The move reflects growing global concerns over the relationship between technology companies, artificial intelligence platforms, and news publishers, as governments in several countries continue to explore ways to ensure media organisations are fairly compensated for the use of their content.