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President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate major global technology companies and Generative Artificial Intelligence platforms over allegations of anti-competitive practices and the unauthorised 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, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria, and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers.

The directive was transmitted to the FCCPC through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris as reported by The Punch.

The move is expected to reshape the relationship between global digital platforms and Nigeria’s media industry, which has long argued that technology firms benefit from its content without providing fair compensation.

In a statement issued on Monday, FCCPC Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, confirmed that the investigation would cover companies such as Meta, Alphabet, the parent company of Google, X, formerly Twitter, and several Generative AI platforms operating in Nigeria.

According to the statement, the commission is investigating allegations of anti-competitive conduct, unlawful exploitation of news content and other practices that could distort competition in Nigeria’s digital market.

It added, “Big technology companies have come under the radar of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission following allegations of anti-competitive practices, unlawful exploitation of news content, and other potentially unfair market conduct.”

The statement further noted, “Also to be investigated are Generative Artificial Intelligence platforms operating in Nigeria. This is in sequel to a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR to FCCPC to look into a joint petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation.”

The NPO alleged that the activities of the affected companies threaten fair competition, weaken the financial sustainability of Nigerian media organisations and undermine the rights of publishers and content creators.

According to the commission, concerns have continued to grow within the Nigerian media industry over the increasing influence of digital platforms on the country’s news ecosystem.

The FCCPC said publishers are particularly worried about the operations of Meta, Alphabet, X and certain AI platforms, which they believe could be harming competition while benefiting commercially from journalistic content.

FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, assured stakeholders that the investigation would be conducted independently, transparently and strictly on the basis of evidence.

He said, “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 stressed that the inquiry should not be interpreted as an indication that any company had already been found guilty.

He stated, “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.”

The commission said the investigation would determine whether the reported practices violate the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 or any other applicable Nigerian law.

A major focus of the inquiry will be allegations that technology companies unlawfully extract, scrape, ingest and commercially use copyrighted news reports, broadcast materials and other original journalistic works to develop and train Generative AI models.

The FCCPC will also examine complaints that Nigerian publishers have not been given fair opportunities to negotiate compensation or commercial agreements for the use of their content.

The investigation comes as governments around the world continue to examine the growing influence of technology companies over the distribution and monetisation of news.

Several countries have introduced regulations requiring digital platforms to negotiate payment agreements with media organisations whose content they use.

In South Africa, a competition investigation resulted in Google agreeing to pay the country’s news industry about R688 million, approximately $40 million, annually for between three and five years.

Industry observers believe the outcome of Nigeria’s investigation could significantly influence the future of journalism, digital competition and AI regulation in the country.

The latest probe also follows the FCCPC’s earlier legal action against Meta, which resulted in a $220 million penalty over alleged breaches of Nigeria’s competition and consumer protection laws, including data privacy violations. The company has since challenged the decision.

The Federal Government says the investigation reflects its commitment to ensuring that international technology companies operating in Nigeria comply with local laws while guaranteeing that Nigerian media organisations receive fair value for the content that supports the country’s digital information ecosystem.