Nigeria targets Big Tech, AI firms over AI training data

Nigeria’s consumer protection watchdog is set to investigate Big Tech and generative AI companies operating in the country. The investigation stems from allegations ranging from anti-competitive conduct to the unauthorised use of copyrighted content for AI training.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) announced the probe in a statement on Monday. According to the FCCPC, the probe was triggered by a joint petition submitted to the presidency by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO).

The NPO comprises the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers.

“This inquiry is not directed at any entity by presumption of wrongdoing,” said Tunji Bello, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the FCCPC. “Rather, it is an opportunity to carefully examine the facts, hear from all affected parties, and determine whether any conduct has resulted in anti-competitive outcomes or unfair business practices.”

The commission named Meta, Alphabet and X among the companies operating in Nigeria that fall within the scope of the investigation.

According to the FCCPC, the probe will examine three key issues, including allegations of unfair market dominance.

It will also investigate claims that generative AI companies extracted, scraped or used copyrighted news articles and broadcast material to train AI models without permission. The publishers have also accused the companies of denying them a fair opportunity to negotiate compensation for the use of their content.

Mounting regulatory pressure

The investigation is the latest in a series of actions by the FCCPC involving major technology companies. In 2025, the commission won a case against Meta over data privacy breaches and other violations of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act. Meta was fined $220 million and later appealed the ruling.

The FCCPC also cited developments in South Africa. There, Google agreed to pay local news organisations about $40 million annually for three to five years after an investigation by the South African Competition Commission.

The latest probe also adds to mounting regulatory pressure on technology companies in Nigeria. Earlier this year, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project filed a separate petition with the FCCPC, raising concerns over data practices and alleged market dominance involving Google, Meta, Apple, Microsoft and TikTok.

The commission has not provided a timeline for the investigation. It said the process will determine whether any of the companies violated the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 or any other Nigerian law.

The FCCPC’s investigation mirrors a broader global trend of publishers, journalists and other content creators challenging technology companies over the use of copyrighted material to train AI models.

Earlier this year, five publishers, including Elsevier and Macmillan, sued Meta, alleging it used their books and journal articles to train its AI models without authorisation. Journalists and podcasters in the United States have also sued Google over claims that their voices were used to train AI systems without consent.

Last updated: July 6, 2026