Tinubu Supports Media's Revenue Fight Against Big Tech

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu expressed his support for the Nigerian media's fight for fair revenue from big tech companies during a meeting at the State House on Friday. He assured the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), led by President Ladi Maiden Alex Ibru, that his administration is ready to intervene by reviewing the tariff exemption list, which currently includes items like newsprint and broadcasting equipment that attract tariffs of 5-10%.

Tinubu emphasized the importance of the media in sustaining democracy and acknowledged the challenges posed by tech companies scraping proprietary content and breaching digital paywalls. Frank Aigbogun, speaking on behalf of the NPO, highlighted that local media has suffered a 70% loss in legitimate income due to anti-competitive practices by big tech.

The President directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to investigate these complaints. He also mentioned that the government has begun engaging with major tech companies, including Meta and Google, to ensure they contribute economically to Nigeria.