The COMESA Competition and Consumer Commission (CCCC) has officially commenced an investigation into Meta Platforms Ireland Limited for potential abuse of its dominant market position.
The inquiry, designated as ACP Notice of Investigation 1 of 2026, focuses on recent restrictive changes to WhatsApp’s business terms that may stifle competition in the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence sector.
The Commission’s move follows reports that Meta unilaterally amended its WhatsApp Business Solution Terms on 15 October 2025. These amendments allegedly:
- Block Third-Party AI: Exclude general-purpose AI service providers from accessing or using the WhatsApp Business Application Programming Interface (API).
- Self-Preferencing: Ensure that Meta’s own AI service (Meta AI) remains integrated and accessible, creating a preferential environment for its proprietary technology.
The CCCC expressed reasonable cause to suspect that Meta holds a dominant position in the Common Market. By restricting access to WhatsApp, which the Commission describes as a crucial gateway for businesses to reach customers, Meta may be unfairly preventing, restricting, or distorting competition across the region.
#callforsubmissions by #16March2026 #NoticeofInvestigation #Meta #MetaPlatformsIrelandLimited#CCCC has published a Notice of commencement of investigation into alleged abuse of dominant position by Meta Platforms Ireland Limited. This is in response to information received by… pic.twitter.com/PPkCY3dgAX
— COMESA Competition & Consumer Commission (@CCCC_COMESA) February 18, 2026
The investigation is being conducted under Regulation 68 of the COMESA Competition and Consumer Protection Regulations, 2025. Specifically, the Commission is looking for violations of Regulation 36, which strictly prohibits the abuse of a dominant position.
While the commencement of this probe is a significant legal step, the Commission clarified that it does not presuppose that Meta has violated any regulations or that the conduct is definitively anticompetitive. The investigation will formally determine the impact of these measures on the Common Market.
In the interest of a thorough and transparent investigation, the CCCC has issued a call for submissions to all interested stakeholders, including AI developers, business owners, and consumer advocacy groups.
- Deadline for Representations: 16 March 2026.
- Confidentiality: The Commission has assured all parties that submissions will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.
- Contact Information: Representations should be directed to Mr. Tatenda Zengeni, Manager of Anticompetitive Practices, via email at TZengeni@comesacompetition.org.
This investigation marks a pivotal moment for tech regulation within the COMESA region, as authorities move to ensure that the gatekeeper platforms of the digital age do not block innovation from local and international AI competitors.