ABUJA, NIGERIA — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has thrown his weight behind the Nigerian media’s campaign against Big Tech dominance, promising to review tariffs on newsprint and broadcast equipment while directing regulatory bodies to investigate complaints that global technology firms are costing local media hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue .
At an interfaith dinner with the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO) at the State House on Friday, the President described the press as an “indispensable partner” in the nation’s journey toward economic stability, press freedom, and social cohesion . He assured media leaders that his government would help dismantle the fiscal hurdles and “digital cannibalisation” threatening the survival of the press .
Media Counts Losses to Tech Giants
Speaking on behalf of the industry, NPO President and Publisher of BusinessDay, Frank Aigbogun, accused tech companies of increasingly “scraping” proprietary creative content to train AI models, often by breaching digital paywalls . He requested the President to direct the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate complaints that Big Tech dominance and anti-competitive practices were costing local media at least 70 per cent of its legitimate income, estimated by some sources at hundreds of millions of dollars, in addition to the loss of jobs and opportunities .
Industry stakeholders argue that multinational tech companies operate in Nigeria’s market space with limited local taxation obligations and minimal regulatory oversight, creating an uneven playing field that threatens indigenous media sustainability . Publishers warn that if the trend continues unchecked, more newsrooms could shut down, journalists could lose their jobs, and investigative reporting may decline .
Tariff Relief on the Horizon
President Tinubu said his government was already reviewing the tariff exemption list and would consider the inclusion of items used by the media, such as newsprint, plates, chemicals, and radio and television broadcast equipment, which currently attract tariffs of 5 to 10 per cent . If approved, these items would enjoy a status similar to that of educational and research materials .
“We discussed issues of tariffs this afternoon. What I cannot report back here is whether I took action in the areas that affect you. But if I missed that, I will go back to rectifying whatever was necessary,” the President assured .
Government Already Engaging Big Tech
Earlier, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, disclosed that the government had already begun “engaging Big Tech,” including companies like Meta and Google . “The government will not allow anybody to come here, reap from our economy, and go away without giving back,” he said .
Idris also reassured media leaders of the administration’s commitment to press freedom, noting that “at no time has the President ever called me to say go and do this or go and do that to the press. He is himself a product of press freedom” .
Call for Broader Accountability
In his remarks, President Tinubu urged the media to broaden its focus and intensify scrutiny of state and local governments in order to strengthen Nigeria’s federal system and promote accountability across all tiers of governance . He noted that recent reforms guaranteeing direct financial allocations to local governments have opened a new opportunity for grassroots development, adding that the media must help ensure the funds are properly utilised .
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money. But how they use it is in your hands. Don’t bombard me alone; look out to the local government too,” the President said .
Tinubu added that state governments are also enjoying improved fiscal conditions under ongoing economic reforms and should be held accountable. “Today, there is no state that is borrowing to pay salaries of employees,” he said, attributing the development to reforms implemented by his administration, including higher crude oil production, improved revenue collection, and the direct payment of local government allocations following a Supreme Court judgment in July 2024 .
The President also commended the media for its constructive remarks and criticisms, confessing to reading all newspapers daily, describing it as “an addiction” that keeps him informed about developments across the country .
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