The Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO) has welcomed President Bola Tinubu’s directive to investigate the activities of major global technology companies and generative AI platforms operating in Nigeria, describing the move as a major step toward protecting the country’s media industry.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the NPO said the directive to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) followed a joint petition submitted by its member organisations, including the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, the Nigerian Guild of Editors, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers.
According to the organisation, its representatives met with President Tinubu in March to express concerns over the growing impact of major technology firms and AI platforms on the sustainability of Nigeria’s media ecosystem.
The NPO alleged that dominant digital companies—including Meta, Alphabet, X and some generative AI firms—have used original journalistic content without providing adequate compensation to publishers, creating unfair competition for local media organisations.
It also argued that limited transparency and accountability by some technology companies pose broader challenges to journalism as a public-interest institution.
The organisation noted that similar regulatory efforts have been undertaken in other countries, including South Africa, and expressed confidence that the FCCPC investigation would help establish a fairer relationship between digital platforms and Nigerian media outlets.
The NPO further welcomed assurances from FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and CEO Tunji Bello that the inquiry would be conducted independently, transparently and based on available evidence.
It pledged to cooperate fully with the commission by providing relevant information and evidence to support the investigation.