Nigeria probes Big Tech over media content

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Nigeria — Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate major global technology companies, including Meta Platforms, Alphabet Inc., and X (formerly X (social network)), as well as Generative AI platforms, over allegations of anti-competitive practices and unlawful exploitation of Nigerian media content. The directive follows a joint petition from the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), which represents newspaper proprietors, journalists, broadcasters, and online publishers. The FCCPC will examine claims of market dominance, unauthorized scraping of copyrighted news content for AI training, and lack of fair compensation for Nigerian publishers. The investigation is seen as a significant regulatory action in Nigeria's digital economy, with potential implications for the relationship between global tech firms and local media. The FCCPC previously fined Meta $220 million in 2025 for data privacy violations, a decision Meta has appealed. The probe is expected to be independent and evidence-based, with all parties given a fair hearing.