The Federal Government has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate X (formerly Twitter), Meta, and other major technology and generative AI companies over alleged anti-competitive practices affecting Nigeria’s media industry.
The directive followed a joint petition to the Presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), which includes the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP).
In a statement, the FCCPC said the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, formally requested the probe, asking the commission to examine claims that global tech firms are undermining fair competition and the sustainability of local media organizations.
The petition alleges that companies such as Meta, Alphabet, X, and some AI platforms engage in practices that weaken publishers’ revenues and rights. These include concerns over market dominance, lack of fair compensation agreements with news organizations, and the unauthorized use of copyrighted content to train generative AI systems.
FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman, Tunji Bello, said the commission would conduct an independent and evidence-based investigation. He emphasized that the process would be transparent and not a presumption of wrongdoing.
“Our responsibility is to objectively determine the facts and ensure that competition remains fair and consistent with Nigerian law,” Bello said.
He added that all parties would be given the opportunity to respond before any conclusions are reached, noting that the inquiry will assess possible violations of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.
The move follows the FCCPC’s previous action against Meta, which resulted in a $220 million fine in 2025 over regulatory breaches, currently under appeal.
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