By Eshioromeh Sebastian
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to launch a full-scale investigation into three of the world’s largest technology companies, Meta, Google, and X—over allegations that their business practices are undermining Nigeria’s media industry.
The directive, conveyed in a letter from the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, instructs the competition watchdog to examine a joint petition filed by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), which represents the country’s foremost media bodies.
The petition, submitted to the Presidency, accuses the tech giants of engaging in anti-competitive conduct that threatens the financial viability of Nigerian news organisations. Specifically, the media stakeholders allege that these platforms have unlawfully extracted, scraped, and commercially utilised copyrighted news articles, broadcast materials, and other original journalistic works—particularly for the training and development of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) models—without proper authorisation or compensation.
In a statement released on Monday, the FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, confirmed that the commission had officially commenced the inquiry. The investigation will also extend to Generative AI platforms operating within Nigeria, examining their data-gathering practices and their impact on local content creators.
FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, assured stakeholders that the probe would be conducted transparently and strictly on the basis of evidence. He emphasised that the commission’s action is not a presumption of guilt but a necessary fact-finding exercise.
“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,” Bello stated. “Our responsibility is to objectively determine the facts and ensure that competition within the digital ecosystem remains fair, transparent, and consistent with Nigerian law.”
The investigation will focus on several key areas, including allegations of market dominance, the absence of fair commercial arrangements between global tech companies and Nigerian publishers, and the unauthorised use of locally produced content.
Central to the media owners’ grievance is the claim that Nigerian news organisations have been denied meaningful opportunities to negotiate compensation for the use of their intellectual property—a practice they argue has been addressed more favourably in other jurisdictions.
The FCCPC noted that a similar intervention in South Africa led to Google agreeing to pay the country’s news media approximately $40 million annually for three to five years, following agitation by media organisations and an investigation by the South African Competition Commission.
Nigerian media stakeholders are hopeful for a comparable outcome.
This is not the first time the FCCPC has taken on a major technology firm. In 2025, the commission secured a landmark judgment against Meta, fining the company $220 million over breaches of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, including data protection violations. Meta has since appealed that ruling.
Bello reiterated that all parties involved would be given a fair hearing before any conclusions are reached. The commission will determine whether the alleged conduct violates the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 or any other relevant legislation.
The development marks a significant escalation in the long-standing tension between Nigeria’s traditional media industry and the digital platforms that have reshaped how news is consumed. Industry observers are now watching closely to see whether the probe will lead to regulatory reforms or compel the tech giants to enter into formal content-licensing agreements with Nigerian publishers.
As the investigation gets underway, the FCCPC has yet to announce a timeline for its findings or any interim measures.
However, the commission has invited all affected parties to present relevant information as it works to establish whether the practices complained of have resulted in anti-competitive outcomes or unfair business practices detrimental to Nigeria’s media landscape.
Discussion about this post