Federal Government Orders Probe of Google, Meta, X Over Alleged Exploitation of Nigerian News Content
The Federal Government has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate major global technology companies, including Google, Meta, and X, over allegations of anti-competitive practices and the unlawful exploitation of news content belonging to Nigerian media organisations.
The directive, approved by President Bola Tinubu, follows a joint petition submitted by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), which raised concerns that the activities of the technology firms could be undermining fair competition, threatening the commercial sustainability of Nigerian media organisations, and infringing on the rights of content creators and publishers.
The investigation will also extend to several Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms operating in Nigeria over similar concerns regarding the use of locally produced news content. According to the FCCPC, the probe will examine allegations of market dominance, unfair business practices, and the unauthorised use of journalistic content for AI training and other commercial purposes.
The Commission stated that the investigation will be conducted transparently and based on available evidence, with appropriate regulatory action to be taken if any violations of Nigerian competition or consumer protection laws are established.
The development marks a significant step in Nigeria’s efforts to protect the country’s media industry, promote fair competition in the digital economy, and safeguard the intellectual property rights of news publishers in the rapidly evolving technology landscape.
