The Federal Government of Nigeria has ordered the consumer protection watchdog, FCCPC, to launch an official investigation into major global technology companies.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has ordered the consumer protection watchdog FCCPC to launch an official investigation into major global technology companies. The probe targets platforms like Meta (Facebook/Instagram), Google, X (formerly Twitter) and various Generative AI companies.
According to a recent FCCPC statement, this new directive was triggered by a joint petition sent directly to the Presidency.The petition was submitted by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), a group that includes newspaper owners (NPAN), journalists (NUJ), broadcasters (BON), and online publishers (GOCOP).
The government sent the directive in a letter signed by the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris. It orders the FCCPC to investigate the media groups’ complaints.
The petition accuses tech giants like Meta, Alphabet, X, and AI platforms of unfair business practices. It claims these tech companies are hurting the income of Nigerian media outlets and violating the rights of content creators.
The commission said it will look into claims that tech giants are abusing their market dominance.It will investigate tech companies for using copyrighted news without permission to train AI models, and for failing to sign fair payment agreements with Nigerian publishers.
The head of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, promised an independent, clear, and evidence-based investigation into the tech companies. He explained that this inquiry is crucial because it must balance the strategic importance of the media to Nigeria’s democracy with the vital role that technology plays in driving economic growth and innovation.
The head of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, stated that their job is to look at the facts objectively. The goal is to make sure that competition in the digital world stays fair, clear, and follows Nigerian law.
He stressed that the investigation does not mean any company is guilty yet. All sides will have the opportunity to share their positions before the commission makes any final decisions.
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He said the commission will check if any company’s actions broke the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 or any other current laws.
The FCCPC previously investigated Meta and fined the company $220 million in 2025 for breaking competition laws. Meta has since appealed that decision.
Furthermore, Nigeria is looking closely at regional precedents. The South African Competition Commission recently successfully negotiated an agreement where Google must compensate South African news media with R688 million ($40 million) annually.
