Google has pledged to cooperate with Nigerian regulators following an investigation by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) into major technology companies.
The probe focuses on alleged anti-competitive practices, the unlawful use of news content and other concerns involving Big Tech and generative artificial intelligence platforms.
A Google spokesperson said the company remains committed to Nigeria and the growth of the country’s news and creative industries.
“We will engage constructively with the FCCPC to support the process and demonstrate the value our products and partnerships bring to Nigerian users, publishers and businesses,” the company said.
The investigation followed a directive from President Bola Tinubu after complaints submitted by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO).
The NPO represents newspaper proprietors, journalists, broadcasters and online publishers across Nigeria.
Media organisations have raised concerns about how global technology platforms collect, distribute and use journalistic content.
Issues being examined include content scraping, AI training and digital distribution practices, which publishers fear could threaten the financial sustainability of the Nigerian media industry.
The FCCPC is investigating major technology companies, including Alphabet, Meta and X, to determine whether their activities violate Nigerian competition laws.
The commission is also examining allegations involving the unauthorised extraction, ingestion and commercial use of copyrighted journalistic content for artificial intelligence development and training.
However, the FCCPC stressed that the investigation does not amount to a finding that any company has violated the law.
FCCPC Chief Executive Officer Tunji Bello said the inquiry would be conducted independently, transparently and based on evidence.
He said the commission was not approaching the investigation with a presumption of wrongdoing.
The regulator said affected companies and other relevant parties would have the opportunity to provide information and respond to the allegations before any conclusions are reached.
The Nigerian probe comes amid a growing global dispute between technology companies and news publishers over content, copyright and compensation.
Publishers argue that their journalism contributes significantly to search engines, digital platforms and AI systems, while traditional media organisations continue to struggle with declining advertising revenues.
Several countries are already considering or implementing rules requiring technology companies to negotiate commercial arrangements with news organisations.
The outcome of the FCCPC investigation could influence how Big Tech companies, publishers and AI developers operate in Nigeria.
It could also shape future regulations covering competition, copyright, artificial intelligence and digital media.
Google’s pledge to engage with the FCCPC comes as Nigeria takes a closer look at the growing influence of global technology companies on the country’s digital and media ecosystem.
