Nigeria Pursues “Facebook” and ”X” ... Extensive Investigations into Adoption of Unfair Practices in the Country
The committee noted that it had previously investigated Meta for alleged violations of competition and consumer protection laws.
Written by: Ayman Ragab
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) in Nigeria has launched an investigation into global tech companies Meta, X, and others over alleged unfair trade practices impacting the country's media industry.
This investigation follows directives from President Bola Tinubu after the Nigerian Press Organisation petitioned the presidency regarding the activities of major digital platforms and their impact on news publishers in the country.
Practices that can weaken competition
This development was revealed in a statement released yesterday by the Director of Corporate Affairs at the Consumer Protection and Competition Commission, Ondaji Iago.
And according to the committee, the investigation will also extend to generative AI platforms operating in Nigeria.
The federal government conveyed the President's directives through a letter signed by the Minister of Information and National Guidance, Mohamed Idris.
The petition was filed by the Nigerian Press Organisation, which includes the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP).
Media bodies have claimed that some global technology companies, including Meta, Alphabet, and X (formerly Twitter), as well as some generative AI platforms, have been engaging in practices capable of weakening competition, undermining the financial viability of Nigerian media organizations, and infringing on the rights of publishers and content creators.
The investigation does not target any entity on the assumption of committing a violation.
In commenting on this development, the Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Consumer Protection Commission, Tunde Bello, stated that the commission would conduct a transparent, objective, and evidence-based investigation.
“We recognize the strategic importance of the media to democracy in Nigeria, and the equally important role of technology in driving innovation and economic growth.”
Bello said, “Our responsibility is to objectively establish facts and ensure that competition within the digital space remains fair, transparent, and compliant with Nigerian law.”.
He emphasized that the investigation should not be interpreted as an assumption of wrongdoing by any company.
Bello added, “This investigation does not target any entity on the assumption of wrongdoing. Rather, it is an opportunity to carefully study the facts, listen to all affected parties, and determine whether any conduct has led to anti-competitive outcomes or unfair business practices.”.
According to the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Protection, the investigation will look into allegations of abuse of market dominance and other anti-competitive behaviors by the companies mentioned in the petition.
It will also investigate claims that copyrighted news reports and broadcast materials and other journalistic content have been extracted, compiled, or commercially used without permission to train generative AI models.
Another key issue under review is whether Nigerian media organizations have been denied fair commercial arrangements or adequate compensation for the use of their content by global tech companies.
The committee indicated that it had previously investigated Meta for alleged violations of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Law, and obtained a court ruling in 2025 imposing a fine of $220 million on the company. Meta has since appealed the ruling.
Campaigns and Elections
As the South African Competition and Consumer Protection Commission was cited as an example, noting that an investigation by the country's competition commission resulted in Google agreeing to pay approximately 688 million rand to South African news organizations, equivalent to about $40 million annually, for a period of three to five years as compensation for the use of their content.
