President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, to investigate Meta, Alphabet, X, and some Generative AI platforms over alleged anti-competitive practices and the unlawful use of Nigerian news content.
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‎The directive follows a formal petition by the Nigerian Press Organisation, NPO, made up of NPAN, NUJ, BON, and GOCOP.
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‎In a statement, the FCCPC said the investigation will determine whether the practices of the tech giants violate the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, FCCPA, 2018 and other relevant laws.
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‎The Commission assured that the inquiry will be independent, transparent, and evidence-based, with all parties given a fair hearing. It stressed that no presumption of guilt has been made.
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‎FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman, Mr. Tunji Bello, said the probe seeks to balance technological innovation with the protection of Nigeria’s media ecosystem and democracy.
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‎The development mirrors a similar agreement in South Africa, where Google committed to pay local news media about $40 million annually for several years over the use of their content.
Tinubu Orders FCCPC To Probe Meta, Google, X Over Use Of Nigerian News Content
