Following President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to investigate major technology companies and AI platforms, Nigerians have reacted, with some welcoming the move and others expressing concerns.
Reacting on social media, X user Abdulmuiz Adeyemo wrote, “Don’t tell me Tinubu wants to go after free speech; we won’t allow that.”
Another user, @R_Zoro9119, said, “BAT wants to go after free speech; he wants to control everything.”
However, @Akinwunmi wrote, “This is a massive and highly patriotic move by President Tinubu! Standing up to global tech giants like Google, Meta, and X to protect our local media industries is exactly what serious, forward-thinking leaders do worldwide. But watch how the professional doomsayers and the opposition camp will still find a way to spin this into a negative.”
Against this backdrop, PUNCH Online examines what the probe entails, its potential implications, and lessons from other countries.
