Tinubu Orders Probe Of Meta, Google, , AI Firms Over Copyright, Competition Issues

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

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 (GCOP).

The Federal Government’s directive was communicated to the FCCPC through a letter signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.

According to a statement announcing the development, the investigation is aimed at examining concerns raised by stakeholders in Nigeria’s media industry over the growing influence of digital platforms on the sustainability of journalism and the country’s news ecosystem.

The petition specifically named global technology companies, including Meta, Alphabet (Google) and (formerly Twitter), as well as several Generative AI platforms operating in Nigeria. The organisations accused the companies of engaging in practices capable of distorting competition, weakening the commercial viability of local media organisations and exploiting the intellectual property rights of Nigerian publishers.

Reacting to the directive, FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, assured stakeholders that the commission would carry out a fair, transparent and evidence-based investigation.

“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 emphasised that the investigation should not be interpreted as evidence that any company had violated the law.

“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,” he added.

Issues Under Investigation

The FCCPC said the inquiry will determine whether the allegations constitute violations of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018, or any other applicable law.

Among the issues to be examined are claims of market dominance and anti-competitive conduct, as well as the alleged unauthorised extraction, scraping, ingestion or commercial use of copyrighted news reports, broadcast content and other original journalistic materials for the training and development of Generative AI models.

The commission will also investigate allegations that some global technology companies have failed to establish fair commercial agreements with Nigerian media organisations or provide adequate compensation for the use of their content.

According to the FCCPC, the probe will assess whether local publishers have been denied meaningful opportunities to negotiate equitable licensing arrangements for their intellectual property.

Previous Action Against Meta

The commission noted that it had previously investigated Meta and secured what it described as a landmark court judgment against the company in 2025 over alleged violations of the FCCPC Act, including breaches relating to data privacy.

The FCCPC said the court imposed a $220 million fine on the technology giant, although the company has appealed the decision.

The commission also referenced developments in South Africa, where a similar investigation by the South African Competition Commission (SACC) resulted in Google agreeing to compensate South African news organisations with R688 million (about $40 million) annually for a period of three to five years.