JUST IN: Tinubu Orders FCCPC Probe of Google, Meta, X, AI Platforms Over Use of Nigerian News Content

By Abigail David

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate major global technology companies and Generative Artificial Intelligence platforms over allegations of anti-competitive practices and the unauthorised use of content produced by Nigerian media organisations.

The directive followed a joint petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation, comprising the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers.

In a statement issued on Monday, FCCPC Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, said the investigation would cover companies including Meta, Alphabet, the parent company of Google, X, and selected Generative AI platforms operating in Nigeria.

According to the commission, the probe will examine allegations of anti-competitive conduct, market dominance, unlawful exploitation of news content and the unauthorised scraping and commercial use of copyrighted journalistic materials for training AI models.

FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, said the investigation would be independent, transparent and evidence-based, stressing that no company was being presumed guilty.

He said all affected parties would have the opportunity to present their positions before the commission determines whether any practices breached the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 or other applicable laws.

The commission will also assess complaints by Nigerian publishers that they have been denied fair compensation and meaningful commercial negotiations for the use of their content by digital platforms.

The move follows growing concerns by media organisations over declining revenues linked to the widespread use of their news content by global technology companies without compensation. It also comes less than a year after the FCCPC imposed a $220 million penalty on Meta over alleged violations of Nigeria’s competition and consumer protection laws, a decision the company has appealed.