Nigeria may have joined the global debate on Big Tech and artificial intelligence later than many advanced economies, but this delayed entry could ultimately prove to be a significant advantage.
The country’s ongoing investigation into Google, Meta, X and several generative AI platforms has been widely viewed as another regulatory dispute involving global technology companies. However, the issue carries far broader implications, as its outcome could shape the future viability of Nigeria’s media industry at a time when digital platforms increasingly dominate how news is discovered, distributed and monetised.
Although the complaint filed by the Nigerian Press Organisation appears to focus on declining advertising revenue, it raises a more fundamental question: whether technology companies have built highly profitable businesses using journalistic content that they neither create nor sufficiently compensate.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) currently regulates global technology firms and digital platforms operating in Nigeria through its Code of Practice for Interactive Computer Service Platforms and Internet Intermediaries. The guidelines require local registration, compliance with data regulations and the removal of harmful, illegal or misleading content. Major technology platforms are therefore expected to meet strict regulatory and operational requirements to continue operating in the country.
The rise of generative artificial intelligence has intensified concerns within the media industry. Nigerian publishers argue that their reports are being used to train AI systems capable of summarising, synthesising or reproducing content without licensing agreements, adequate attribution or fair compensation. They also fear that AI-generated responses may reduce the need for users to visit original news sources.
As a result, the issue has evolved beyond a dispute over advertising revenue into a broader global debate about who creates value in the digital economy and who ultimately benefits from it.
Over the past two decades, digital platforms have transformed news consumption patterns. Rather than visiting newspaper websites directly, millions of users now rely on Google searches, Facebook feeds, WhatsApp groups, X timelines and AI-powered assistants for information.
While this shift has expanded access to news, it has also disrupted the economic foundations of journalism. News organisations continue to bear the costs of reporting, fact-checking, editing and investigative journalism, yet a significant portion of digital advertising revenue increasingly flows to technology companies that possess advanced data analytics, sophisticated advertising systems and extensive digital ecosystems.
The impact has been substantial globally, leading to newsroom downsizing, the closure of local newspapers, increasing costs for investigative reporting and a decline in regional journalism. Despite journalism reaching larger audiences than ever before, sustaining quality reporting has become increasingly challenging.
Nigeria is facing similar disruptions. With more than 154 million active internet subscriptions, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission, digital platforms have become the primary source of information for millions of Nigerians. Their influence now extends beyond content distribution to determining audience reach, profitability and media survival in an increasingly competitive environment.
Artificial intelligence has further complicated these dynamics. Large Language Models are trained using vast amounts of publicly available information, including news content. Publishers are concerned that AI systems may use knowledge derived from their journalism to answer users’ questions without licensing arrangements or compensation, potentially creating technologies that could eventually compete with the very organisations that produced the original content.
This challenge is not unique to Nigeria. Governments around the world have adopted varying approaches to address similar concerns.
Australia was among the first countries to challenge the notion that digital platforms could monetise news content without compensation through its 2021 News Media Bargaining Code. Although Google threatened to withdraw its search engine and Meta temporarily removed news content from Facebook, public pressure eventually led to negotiations and commercial agreements worth hundreds of millions of Australian dollars for publishers.
Canada adopted a similar approach through its Online News Act, but with different results. Meta chose to block news content on Facebook and Instagram, while Google later reached a settlement with the government. The Canadian experience demonstrated that regulation can influence corporate behaviour, though outcomes may not always align with policymakers’ expectations.
South Africa pursued a more measured strategy by conducting extensive market studies on digital advertising, search visibility and revenue distribution. This evidence-based approach resulted in commitments from Google to support local publishers while avoiding prolonged political conflict.
These international experiences suggest that there is no universal solution. Australia highlights the potential effectiveness of strong legislation, Canada illustrates possible unintended consequences, and South Africa demonstrates the value of competition-based regulation supported by economic analysis.
For Nigeria, these lessons are particularly relevant given the distinct nature of its media ecosystem. Digital subscriptions remain relatively limited, advertising markets are smaller, and many media organisations continue to rely on business models developed before the digital era.
Consequently, requiring technology companies to provide financial compensation alone may not address the deeper structural challenges facing the industry.
The ongoing investigation therefore presents an opportunity to examine broader issues, including competition policy, copyright protection, AI training practices, digital advertising markets and the commercial relationships between multinational technology firms and Nigerian media organisations.
The broader objective should be to create a fairer digital marketplace that encourages technological innovation while preserving the sustainability of credible journalism.
The investigation also reflects Nigeria’s growing confidence in regulating multinational technology companies. From data protection and consumer rights to competition policy and AI governance, the country is increasingly asserting its authority to shape the rules governing its digital economy.
This confidence is both timely and necessary.
Journalism remains an essential pillar of democracy, informing citizens, scrutinising power, exposing corruption and promoting accountability. However, quality journalism requires significant financial investment, skilled professionals and rigorous editorial processes.
While technology platforms provide substantial public value by improving access to information, they also benefit from an information ecosystem sustained by news organisations. If that ecosystem continues to weaken, the consequences will extend beyond media companies to affect public trust, democratic accountability and the quality of national discourse.
Whether the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission ultimately establishes evidence of anti-competitive practices or other legal violations will depend on due process. Nevertheless, the questions being raised are legitimate and long overdue.
Nigeria’s later entry into this global debate may ultimately work in its favour. Other countries have already experienced the challenges, successes and unintended consequences of regulatory experimentation, providing valuable lessons.
With NITDA’s guidelines already in place, Nigeria now has an opportunity to develop a regulatory framework that reflects local market realities while protecting innovation, encouraging investment and ensuring that creators of credible journalism share fairly in the value generated by their work.
If managed with wisdom and balance, this investigation may ultimately be remembered not as another confrontation with Big Tech, but as a defining moment in Nigeria’s effort to redefine the relationship between technology, artificial intelligence and journalism in the digital age.
About The Author
