FG Orders FCCPC to Probe Global Tech Firms, AI Platforms Over Use of Nigerian Media Content
President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate leading 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.
The directive followed a petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), which represents key media industry groups, including newspaper publishers, journalists, broadcasters and online publishers.
The Federal Government communicated the President’s directive to the FCCPC through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
According to the commission, the investigation will focus on allegations that some major technology firms have engaged in practices that negatively affect competition and threaten the sustainability of Nigeria’s media industry.
Among the companies named in the inquiry are Meta, Alphabet, X and several Generative AI platforms operating within Nigeria.
The FCCPC said the investigation will examine claims of market dominance, anti-competitive conduct and the alleged unauthorised extraction, scraping, ingestion and commercial use of copyrighted news reports, broadcast materials and other original journalistic content to develop and train AI models.
The commission will also assess allegations that Nigerian media organisations have been denied fair opportunities to negotiate commercial agreements or receive compensation for the use of their content.
Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, assured that the investigation would be impartial, evidence-based and conducted in line with Nigerian law.
He noted that the inquiry should not be interpreted as proof of wrongdoing by any organisation, stressing that all parties involved would be given the opportunity to present their positions before any conclusions are reached.
The FCCPC added that the investigation will determine whether any of the alleged actions violate the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018 or other relevant laws.
The commission also referenced similar developments in other countries, noting that concerns over the relationship between technology companies and news publishers have prompted regulatory action elsewhere. It said the probe is aimed at determining whether similar issues exist in Nigeria and whether regulatory intervention is necessary.
