President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate major technology companies and Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms over allegations of anti-competitive practices and the unlawful use of content belonging to Nigerian media organisations.
The directive followed a joint petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), which comprises 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).
The Federal Government conveyed the directive to the FCCPC through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
According to the petition, technology companies including Meta, Alphabet (Google), X and some AI platforms are alleged to have engaged in practices that could undermine fair competition, threaten the sustainability of Nigeria’s media industry, and infringe on the rights of content creators and publishers.
FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, said the Commission would conduct an independent, transparent and evidence-based investigation into the allegations.
Bello noted that the inquiry is intended to establish facts and determine whether any conduct by the companies violates the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018 or other applicable laws.
He stressed that no company is being presumed guilty and that all parties involved will be given a fair opportunity to present relevant information before any conclusions are reached.
The investigation will focus on allegations of market dominance, anti-competitive conduct, and the unauthorised use of copyrighted news articles, broadcast materials and other journalistic content for the development and training of Generative AI models.
It will also examine claims that Nigerian media organisations have been denied fair compensation and meaningful commercial agreements for the use of their content by global technology companies.
The development marks a significant step in ongoing efforts to address concerns about the impact of digital platforms on the sustainability of Nigeria’s media industry and the protection of intellectual property rights.
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