Tinubu Orders FCCPC to Investigate Major Tech Firms

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate major technology companies for alleged anti-competitive practices that harm Nigerian media organizations. The directive follows a petition from the Nigerian Press Organization (NPO), which includes the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria (BON), and Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP).

The FCCPC, led by Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Tunji Bello, will conduct a transparent, evidence-based inquiry into claims that companies like Meta and Alphabet, as well as generative AI platforms, engage in practices that weaken fair competition and violate the rights of content creators. The investigation will focus on allegations of market dominance and copyright infringement, particularly regarding the unauthorized use of journalistic work to train AI models.

The FCCPC aims to ensure fair competition within Nigeria's digital ecosystem, adhering to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 2018.