Nigeria probes Meta, Google, X over AI content use without payment
The FCCPC has launched an investigation into major tech companies over alleged anti-competitive practices and the unauthorised use of Nigerian media content.
The Federal Government has directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate major global technology companies and generative artificial intelligence platforms for alleged anti-competitive practices and the unauthorised use of Nigerian media content. The directive followed a petition by the Nigerian Press Organisation, representing newspaper publishers, broadcasters, journalists and online publishers.
The FCCPC said the probe will examine allegations of market dominance, the scraping and commercial use of copyrighted news content to train AI models, and claims that Nigerian media organisations were denied fair compensation. Companies named in the petition include Meta, X, Alphabet and other AI platforms operating in Nigeria.
FCCPC Executive Vice-Chairman Tunji Bello said the investigation would be transparent, evidence-based and would not presume wrongdoing. “The commission will conduct a thorough, evidence-based inquiry that respects the principles of fairness and due process. We are not pre-judging any party, but we cannot ignore legitimate concerns about market conduct and consumer welfare,” Bello said.
The probe comes after Google reached a compensation agreement with South African news publishers, while Meta is appealing a $220 million fine from the FCCPC over alleged competition and data privacy violations. The South African deal saw Google commit to paying local publishers for their content used in Google News and Discover, setting a precedent that Nigerian publishers are now seeking to replicate.
This is not the first time Nigeria has confronted global tech platforms over their conduct. In 2024, the FCCPC fined Meta $220 million for alleged violations of Nigeria’s data protection and consumer rights laws. Meta is appealing the fine. The current probe represents an escalation of that confrontation, extending from data privacy to content monetisation.
The Nigerian Press Organisation has argued that tech platforms are profiting from Nigerian journalism without compensating the creators. “For years, global tech companies have used Nigerian news content to train their AI models and drive engagement on their platforms without paying a kobo to the publishers who produced that content,” the petition said. “This is not just unfair. It is unsustainable.”
The winners: Nigerian publishers, who may finally receive compensation for their content. The losers: Meta, Google and other tech platforms, which may face new costs and regulatory restrictions in Nigeria.
Bottom Line: Nigeria is going after the tech giants. The question is whether the government has the capacity to win this fight or will join the long list of countries that have tried and failed.