Tinubu orders probe of Meta, Google, X over alleged exploitation....

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate global technology giants, including Meta, Google, X (formerly Twitter), and generative artificial intelligence (AI) platforms, over allegations of anti-competitive practices and the commercial exploitation of content produced by Nigerian media organisations.

The directive, which signals Nigeria’s most comprehensive regulatory scrutiny of global digital platforms to date, followed complaints by media stakeholders that international technology companies are generating commercial value from locally produced news content without fair compensation to publishers.

The FCCPC disclosed on Monday that the investigation was triggered by a joint petition submitted to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), comprising 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).

According to the Commission, the presidential directive was conveyed through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.

Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, said the inquiry would examine whether the activities of the technology companies contravene the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018 or other relevant Nigerian laws.

Among the issues under investigation are allegations that some technology firms have engaged in the unauthorised scraping, extraction and commercial use of copyrighted news reports, broadcast materials and other journalistic works to train generative AI models.

The Commission will also examine allegations of abuse of market dominance and claims that Nigerian media organisations have been denied fair opportunities to negotiate commercial agreements or receive compensation for the use of their intellectual property.

“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 stressed that the investigation should not be interpreted as a presumption of wrongdoing.

“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,” Bello added.

Although the FCCPC did not specifically identify the AI companies involved, the investigation is expected to cover major generative AI providers operating in Nigeria.

The Commission noted that similar regulatory interventions have emerged globally, citing South Africa, where Google agreed to pay approximately R688 million (about $40 million) annually for between three and five years following competition investigations into the commercial use of publishers’ content.

The latest inquiry comes barely a year after the FCCPC secured a landmark legal victory against Meta, with Nigeria’s Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal upholding the Commission’s $220 million fine imposed on the company over alleged consumer protection and data privacy violations.

Industry analysts believe the investigation could shape Nigeria’s regulatory framework for artificial intelligence, digital platforms and publisher compensation, while redefining the commercial relationship between global technology companies and local news organisations.