The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) have been directed by President Bola Tinubu to investigate major global tech firms and Generative AI platforms over alleged anti-competitive behaviour and unauthorized use of Nigerian news content. The probe follows a joint petition from the Nigerian Press Organization representing NPAN, NUJ, BON, NGE and GOCOP; claiming that companies including Meta, Alphabet (Google), X (formerly Twitter) and certain AI platforms have scraped, copied or commercially exploited copyrighted articles, broadcasts and other journalistic materials without permission.
The FCCPC will assess whether these firms breached the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 or other laws, focusing on abuse of market dominance, anti-competitive conduct, and whether Nigerian media were denied fair opportunities to negotiate compensation or commercial deals. The commission said it will run an independent, evidence-based inquiry that hears all parties and does not presume wrongdoing.
Tunji Bello, FCCPC’s Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, emphasized the commission’s duty to protect fair competition in the digital ecosystem while recognizing technology’s role in innovation. The investigation follows the FCCPC’s 2025 legal win against Meta, which saw a $220 million penalty (now under appeal). The commission highlighted comparable probes abroad, citing South Africa, where Google agreed to sizable payments to support news media; and said it will determine if similar regulatory action is needed in Nigeria.
