The Federal Government has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate X (formerly Twitter), Meta, Alphabet, and several Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) companies over allegations of anti-competitive practices affecting Nigeria’s media industry.
The directive follows a joint petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), comprising the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP).
According to a statement issued by the FCCPC, the directive was conveyed in a letter signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, requesting the commission to investigate the allegations contained in the petition.
The petition alleges that the technology companies engage in practices that may undermine fair competition, threaten the commercial viability of Nigerian media organisations, and negatively impact the rights of publishers and content creators.
The FCCPC said its investigation will examine allegations of market dominance, the unauthorised scraping and commercial use of copyrighted news content to train Generative AI models, and the absence of fair commercial agreements between global technology companies and Nigerian news publishers.
Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, said the commission would conduct an independent, transparent, and evidence-based investigation.
He noted that while the media plays a critical role in Nigeria’s democracy, technology companies also contribute significantly to innovation and economic development. According to him, the investigation aims to establish the facts and ensure that competition within the digital ecosystem complies with Nigerian law.
Bello further emphasised that the investigation does not amount to a finding of wrongdoing against any company, adding that all parties involved will be given the opportunity to present their positions before any conclusions are reached.
