Federal Government of Nigeria has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate X (formerly Twitter), Meta, Alphabet, and other major technology firms, including Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) companies, over allegations of anti-media and anti-competitive practices in Nigeria.
This 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).
In a statement, the FCCPC said 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 raised by the media organisations.
The petition accuses Meta, Alphabet, X and some Generative AI platforms of engaging in practices that undermine fair competition, threaten the commercial sustainability of Nigerian media organisations, and infringe on the rights of publishers and content creators.
Tinubu directs FCCPC to probe X, Meta, AI firms over alleged anti-media practices
According to the commission, the investigation will examine allegations of market dominance, 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.
FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, said the commission would conduct an independent, transparent and evidence-based investigation.
He said the commission recognises the vital role of the media in Nigeria’s democracy as well as the importance of technology in promoting innovation and economic growth.
Bello stressed that the investigation should not be interpreted as a presumption of wrongdoing against any organisation, noting that all affected parties would be given the opportunity to present their positions before any conclusions are reached.
He added that the commission would determine whether the alleged conduct violates the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018 or any other applicable law.
The FCCPC had previously investigated Meta and, in 2025, secured a ruling over violations of the FCCPA, resulting in a $220 million fine, which the company has appealed.
