President Bola Tinubu has instructed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to investigate major global technology companies and Generative Artificial Intelligence platforms over allegations of anti competitive practices and the unauthorised use of content belonging to Nigerian media organisations.
The directive comes about four months after the President pledged support for Nigerian media organisations in their campaign against what they described as the growing dominance of major technology firms and the economic challenges confronting the industry.
The investigation follows a petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation, which comprises the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers.
According to a statement issued by the FCCPC, the probe will cover global technology companies including Meta, Alphabet, the parent company of Google, X, formerly Twitter, as well as selected Generative Artificial Intelligence platforms operating in Nigeria.
The statement said, “Big technology companies have come under the radar of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission following allegations of anti-competitive practices, unlawful exploitation of news content, and other potentially unfair market conduct. Also to be investigated are Generative Artificial Intelligence platforms operating in Nigeria. This is a sequel to a directive from President Bola Tinubu, GCFR, to FCCPC to look into a joint petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation.”
Media organisations alleged that the activities of the companies threaten fair competition, weaken the financial sustainability of local news organisations and infringe on the rights of publishers and content creators.
The commission also stated that the investigation would examine allegations that technology firms scraped, stored and commercially used copyrighted news reports, broadcast materials and other journalistic content to develop and train AI models without authorisation or compensation.
FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, assured that the exercise would be conducted fairly and impartially.
“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. Our responsibility is to objectively determine the facts and ensure that competition within the digital ecosystem remains fair, transparent, and consistent with Nigerian law,” Bello said.
He added, “This inquiry is not directed at any entity by presumption of wrongdoing. Rather, it is an opportunity to carefully examine the facts, hear from all affected parties, and determine whether any conduct has resulted in anti-competitive outcomes or unfair business practices. Every party will be accorded a fair opportunity to present relevant information before any conclusions are reached.”
The commission said it would determine whether the alleged practices violate the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 or any other relevant law. It will also assess complaints that Nigerian publishers have been denied fair negotiations and compensation for the use of their content by global digital platforms.
The investigation mirrors similar actions in other countries where governments have required technology companies to negotiate payment agreements with media organisations for the use of news content.
The development also comes less than a year after the FCCPC imposed a 220 million dollar penalty on Meta over alleged breaches of Nigeria’s competition and consumer protection laws, a decision the company is currently challenging on appeal.
Google and Meta acknowledged receiving requests for comments on the latest investigation but had yet to issue substantive responses as of the time the report was filed.