The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to urgently investigate major global technology companies over alleged abuses affecting Nigeria’s digital economy, media freedom, privacy rights and democratic integrity.
In a complaint dated February 28, 2026, and addressed to FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Mr Tunji Bello, SERAP accused companies including Google, Meta (Facebook), Apple, Microsoft (Bing), X, TikTok, Amazon and YouTube of deploying opaque algorithms and leveraging market dominance in ways that allegedly undermine Nigerian media organisations, businesses and citizens’ rights.
The complaint, signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, urged the Commission to take all necessary measures to urgently prevent further unfair market practices, algorithmic influence, consumer harm and abuses of media freedom, freedom of expression, privacy and access to information.
SERAP also asked the FCCPC to convene a public hearing to investigate allegations of algorithmic discrimination, data exploitation, revenue diversion and anti-competitive conduct involving the tech giants.
According to the organisation, dominant digital platforms now act as private gatekeepers of Nigeria’s information and business ecosystem, wielding enormous influence over public discourse and market competition without sufficient transparency or regulatory oversight.
“Millions of Nigerians rely on these platforms for news, information and business opportunities,” SERAP stated, warning that opaque algorithms and offshore revenue extraction models pose both economic and human rights concerns.
The group argued that the alleged practices threaten media plurality, consumer protection, privacy rights and the integrity of Nigeria’s forthcoming elections.
SERAP pointed to actions taken by the South African Competition Commission, which investigated Google over alleged bias against local media content.
The South African probe reportedly resulted in measures including algorithmic transparency requirements, compliance monitoring and financial remedies. SERAP urged the FCCPC to take similar steps to safeguard Nigerian media and businesses.
The organisation maintained that, if established, the allegations could amount to violations of Sections 17 and 18 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA), which prohibit abuse of market dominance and anti-competitive conduct.
SERAP stressed that the FCCPC has statutory authority to investigate and sanction conduct that substantially prevents, restricts or distorts competition in Nigeria.
It also warned that failure by the Commission to act promptly could prompt the organisation to pursue legal action to compel regulatory intervention.
Citing concerns reportedly raised by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), SERAP said big tech companies have fundamentally altered Nigeria’s information environment, creating what it described as a structural imbalance of power that threatens the sustainability of professional journalism.
Among the allegations listed are algorithms controlled outside Nigeria determining content visibility; monetisation of Nigerian news content without proportionate reinvestment; offshore extraction of advertising revenues; limited discoverability of Nigerian websites and platforms; and lack of transparency in ranking and recommendation systems.
SERAP argued that declining revenues in the Nigerian media industry have led to shrinking newsrooms, closure of bureaus and the emergence of news deserts, weakening journalism’s constitutional role in democratic accountability.
The organisation further warned that algorithmic opacity and data-driven micro-targeting could influence voter exposure to information ahead of Nigeria’s forthcoming elections, raising concerns about electoral fairness and transparency.
SERAP emphasised that media freedom is guaranteed under Sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as under international human rights instruments, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The group urged the FCCPC to initiate a full-scale investigation into the alleged conduct; convene a public hearing involving journalists, media organisations, SMEs, content creators and civil society groups; mandate transparency in ranking, recommendation and advertising algorithms; establish remedial measures, including a compensation fund for affected media organisations; summon relevant persons and demand the production of documents; and impose sanctions where violations are established.
