By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
Efforts by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) towards boosting the revenue earnings of the country received a boost at the weekend as major lottery operators in Lagos consented to fully supporting the forthcoming National Gaming Conference, one of the means through which the commission seeks to make more money for the country and lottery operators.
Relentless in its innovative drive for enhanced lottery business in Nigeria, the commission has put together the national Gaming Conference where all the germane issues concerning the growth of lottery business in would be discussed and successful paths created for higher gains for the stakeholders and more revenue for the country.
In his characteristic manner of seeking the best at all times, the Director General of the Commission, Lanre Gbajabiamila used the entire week visiting major stakeholders in the Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos where he received a resounding assurance of the readiness of the key lottery business owners to fully participate in the conference scheduled to hold in Lagos between July 25 and 27.
According to a release issued by the Head of Communications for the Commission,Magnus Ekechukwu, the Commission, Gbajabiamila who was accompanied on the visit by his management team, paid courtesy visits to select major licensed operators, explaining the importance of the programme and how it would be of immense benefit to all stakeholders.
Some of the operators already visited include Premier Lotto Limited, (Baba Ijebu); Winners Golden Chance; Digi Bay Limited (Betway); KC Gaming limited, (Bet9ja); Naira Bet; Bet King and a host of others.
The statement also revealed that at each of the locations, the Director General took time out to explain the importance of the forth-coming conference to the entire Lottery and Gaming industry in Nigeria, describing the event as the first of its kind in the Nigerian Lottery and Gaming industry.
According to the DG, the conference is being organized to create the much needed awareness on the mandate of the NLRC, with a view to enlightening all stakeholders on the need to establishing a broader, stronger and virile working synergy which would help to grow the industry for the benefit of all Nigerians.
“The lottery industry is a peculiar one that requires better understanding and cooperation from every one for it to thrive. The Government, as well as all critical stakeholders deserves the best from the industry, we need to synergize to ensure we have a growth pattern that would favour everyone.
The Lottery Commission cannot do it alone, everyone, including the operators, government, and other sister regulatory agencies have to join us in the effort to reposition the lottery and gaming industry for sustainable growth and development” the DG stated.
Continuing, the DG disclosed that the National Gaming Conference is being packaged by Nigerians and for Nigerians, adding that the need for gaming companies to source their technical providers from Nigeria would be brought to the fore; an idea he said was to encourage home-grown technology as well as boost the local content policy of the federal government.
Gbajabiamila further stated that many germane issues would be discussed, including issues relating to multiple taxation, over-regulation as being alleged in some quarters, jurisdictional boundaries, legislative and legal issues, underage gaming and overall strategies for boosting the lottery and gaming sector in Nigeria.
Some of the agencies who will participate in the conference, he said, include the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU),; Independent Corrupt Practices (and other related offences) Commission (ICPC); Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS); Gaming and Lottery operators, state regulators, as well as other top government functionaries drawn from the three arms of government. Worthy of note is that all the stakeholders visited indicated strong willingness to participate in the conference.
