Google has responded to the Federal Government’s investigation into major technology companies, saying it will work constructively with regulators while stressing the value its products and partnerships bring to Nigeria’s digital economy.
The response followed the announcement by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission of an investigation into alleged anti-competitive practices, the use of news content without proper authorisation and other concerns involving major technology companies and generative artificial intelligence platforms operating in Nigeria.
A Google spokesperson, speaking to The PUNCH on Wednesday, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to Nigeria and the development of the country’s news and creative industries.
“We remain committed to Nigeria and the success of its news and creative ecosystem. 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 spokesperson said.
The investigation followed a directive by President Bola Tinubu to the FCCPC to examine complaints submitted by the Nigerian Press Organisation, which represents newspaper proprietors, journalists, broadcasters and online publishers.
The Nigerian media industry has expressed growing concerns about the influence of global technology platforms, particularly over issues surrounding content scraping, artificial intelligence training and digital distribution.
Media organisations have argued that some practices by major technology companies could weaken the commercial sustainability of local publishers by affecting traffic, advertising revenue and the value of original journalistic content.
The FCCPC said the investigation would examine whether the activities of technology companies, including Google’s parent company, Alphabet, as well as Meta and X, breach Nigeria’s competition laws or result in unfair market outcomes.
The commission will also investigate allegations concerning the unauthorised extraction, ingestion and commercial use of copyrighted journalistic content in the development and training of artificial intelligence models.
FCCPC Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, said the investigation would be conducted independently, transparently and on the basis of evidence.
He stressed that the inquiry was not based on any presumption that the companies had violated the law, adding that all affected parties would have the opportunity to provide information and respond to the allegations before the commission reaches any conclusions.
Google’s response suggests that the company intends to cooperate with Nigerian regulators as scrutiny of Big Tech’s role in the country’s media and digital economy increases.
The investigation comes amid a wider international debate over how technology platforms should compensate publishers whose content contributes to online search, digital advertising and the development of artificial intelligence systems.
In several countries, regulators and governments have introduced measures requiring technology companies to negotiate commercial arrangements with news organisations, as publishers search for sustainable revenue sources amid pressure on traditional advertising models.
The outcome of Nigeria’s investigation could influence the country’s future regulatory framework for digital platforms and help determine how technology companies, publishers, journalists and content creators interact in the evolving digital economy.
