THE Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has launched an investigation into Meta, X and other global technology companies over allegations of unfair business practices affecting Nigeria’s media industry.

The probe follows a directive by President Bola Tinubu after the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO) petitioned the Presidency over the activities of major digital platforms and their impact on news publishers in the country.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued yesterday by the FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu.

According to the commission, the investigation will also extend to Generative Artificial Intelligence platforms operating in Nigeria.

The Federal Government conveyed the President’s directive through a letter signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.

The petition was submitted by the Nigerian Press Organisation, which comprises the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP).

The media bodies alleged that some global technology companies, including Meta, Alphabet and X, formerly Twitter, as well as certain Generative AI platforms, were engaging in practices capable of weakening competition, undermining the financial viability of Nigerian media organisations and infringing on the rights of publishers and content creators.

Reacting to the development, FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, said the commission would conduct a transparent, objective and evidence-driven inquiry.

“We recognise the strategic importance of the media to Nigeria’s democracy and the equally significant role of technology in driving innovation and economic growth.

“Our responsibility is to objectively determine the facts and ensure that competition within the digital ecosystem remains fair, transparent, and consistent with Nigerian law,” Bello said.

He stressed that the investigation should not be interpreted as a presumption of wrongdoing against any company.

“This inquiry is not directed at any entity by presumption of wrongdoing. Rather, it is an opportunity to carefully examine the facts, hear from all affected parties, and determine whether any conduct has resulted in anti-competitive outcomes or unfair business practices,” Bello added.

According to the FCCPC, the investigation will examine allegations of abuse of market dominance and other anti-competitive conduct by the companies named in the petition.

It will also look into claims that copyrighted news reports, broadcast materials and other journalistic content were extracted, scraped or commercially used without authorisation to train Generative Artificial Intelligence models.

Another key issue under review is whether Nigerian media organisations have been denied fair commercial arrangements or adequate compensation for the use of their content by global technology companies.

The commission noted that it had previously investigated Meta over alleged breaches of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, securing a court judgment in 2025 that imposed a $220 million penalty on the company. Meta has since appealed the ruling.

FCCPC also cited South Africa as an example, noting that an investigation by the country’s Competition Commission resulted in Google agreeing to pay South African news organisations about R688 million, equivalent to roughly $40 million annually, for between three and five years as compensation for the use of their content.