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-media and anti-competitive practices in Nigeria.
The directive followed a 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).
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the FCCPC said the directive was conveyed through a letter signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
The petition alleged that the technology companies engaged in practices capable of undermining fair competition, weakening the commercial viability of Nigerian media organisations and affecting the rights of publishers and content creators.
According to the commission, the investigation will examine claims of market dominance, alleged unauthorised scraping and commercial use of copyrighted news content to train Generative AI models, as well as concerns over the absence of fair commercial agreements between global technology firms and Nigerian news publishers.
The FCCPC said the inquiry would determine whether any of the alleged conduct violated the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 or other applicable laws.
Reacting to the directive, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, assured stakeholders that the investigation would be conducted independently, transparently and based on evidence.
He noted that while the media remains vital to Nigeria’s democracy, technology also plays a significant role in driving innovation and economic growth, making it essential to ensure fairness within the country’s digital ecosystem.
Bello stressed that the investigation should not be interpreted as a presumption of wrongdoing against any of the companies involved, adding that all parties would be given the opportunity to present their positions before any conclusions are reached.
The FCCPC had previously investigated Meta over alleged violations of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, resulting in a $220 million fine in 2025, a decision the company has appealed.
