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‘TOTI Prima Lotto is keen on giving back to Nigerian society’

TOTI Prima Lotto Limited is a lottery company that launched operations in November 2017 with its Head Office in Lagos, Nigeria. TOTI Prima is regulated by the National...

Annabel

Recently, the TOTI Prima Lotto brand was introduced into the Nigerian market. In this interview with its Chief Operations Officer, Ms. Annabel Camilleri, she spoke on the company’s entry into Nigeria, their offerings and their desire to give back to the society, especially in the education sector.

Could you tell us about TOTI Prima – and your newly launched lotto brand.
TOTI Prima Lotto Limited is a lottery company that launched operations in November 2017 with its Head Office in Lagos, Nigeria. TOTI Prima is regulated by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission through our Licensee partners Capstar Entertainment International Limited, and also holds an Approval in Principle by the Lagos State Lotteries Board.

At TOTI Prima we have an experienced management team with expertise in the European lottery industry. Our professional know-how comes from working with some of the most reputable brands in Nigeria and worldwide.

Our outlook on the game of lottery is much more than playing, but actually winning. We recognize the entrepreneurial spirit of an individual; that strength of character and determination which inspires us to progress in life, with a sense of purpose to improve our own lives and those around us.

We provide a reliable platform that is based on integrity and transparency, which encourages people, not only to dream, but be certain that their dreams will become reality.

You are positioning TOTI Prima as a brand that is poised to change the status of your consumers and bring their Dreams to Reality. In specific terms, how do you want to achieve this?
We are offering some of the best odds for our TOTI60 Jackpot game (5 numbers out of 60). The game is simple: pick 5 numbers and be guaranteed a payout as long as you match 3, 4 or 5 numbers. This makes it easy for anyone to understand. We have created a platform which makes it easy for all types of consumers to play ranging from our online platform totiprimalotto website to supermarkets, cinemas and street agents.

Lastly, for those we refer to as out Tier 1 winners i.e. those who win the jackpot, we will offer the services of a Sudden Wealth Advisor who will help ensure that the changed status of our consumers is sustained.

With the influx of many lottery brands into Nigeria, customers have now become more demanding and choice determinant than ever, how do you want to recruit patronage and create an edge in the market place?’
We have invested significantly in building the brand image that we stand for. Through our media and advertising campaigns, including our beautiful TVC starring our Brand Ambassador Uti Nwachukwu & Simi Drey, as well as radio advertising and out of home/visibility and focus on digital and social media, we know that we can differentiate ourselves. Within our category, we believe we portray a fresh, modern image. Our brand stands for enjoyment, reliability and transparency and this will help us recruit customers to TOTI Prima. We also acknowledge that first class customer service will allow us to understand our customers and create brand loyalty that lasts.

You promised at the unveiling of your brand, a new strategy to create a game offering better odds, prizes and simpler game play. What are those steps you have taken in this direction?
Our competitors traditionally offer a 5 in 90 model, where players can select 1 or more numbers for different stakes. We on the other hand, offer a 5 in 60, where our players just pick 5 numbers for a flat N100. In terms of prizes you do not have to match the 5 numbers drawn: You will win money when matching either 3, 4 or 5 numbers. 5 numbers guarantees a win of the N25 million Jackpot.

All our games are available to play online through our website. Once registered and your wallet is credited, ticket purchases are as easy as click on 5 numbers and select to purchase. We also have our POS terminals being rolled out across the city of Lagos early in the New Year. Tickets will be available in partner stores and though street agents wherever you see the TOTI Prima sign or spot one of our orange terminals.

You are creating new avenues for lottery sales and you have promised to use a variety of online options and direct contacts through agents. We have seen in this country frustrations of lottery players in funding their accounts online, some brands announce partnerships with banks only for consumers to discover that it does not exist, how are you planning to overcome these obstacles and ensure easy purchase of lotto tickets?
We have created a variety of means for people to fund their wallets through our partnership with Interswitch and GTBank. Right now players can already fund their accounts using their local debit card or their GT Bank Internet banking system.

In the coming weeks we will also be launching another product allowing players to walk into a bank and deposit cash onto their TOTI wallet for online play. Following that we also have partnerships with Zenith Bank and others to follow. We are aware that technology in this area is constantly changing, so we have our eyes open for newer and improved payment methods. Alternatively players can purchase the tickets from any of our retail outlets using cash.

There is a lot of hype and excitement around TOTI60 Jackpot, tell us more about this package
This is the flagship game from TOTI Prima and as the name suggests it gives players the opportunity of picking 5 numbers out of 60 for a chance to win the jackpot of N25 million. But the beauty of this game, as we already mentioned earlier, is that it also gives players the opportunity to win cash prizes for matching 3 and 4 numbers.

We purposely decided on the TOTI60 jackpot as our first game because we want to create regular winners and begin changing people’s lives.
In other climes, creating a strong goodwill with the public and impactful CSR programs have contributed to building mega lottery brands.

In what ways are you planning to use CSR, public relations and other marketing communication tools to build and sustain a strong lotto brand in Nigeria?
To us Lottery is far more than just paying out prizes and generating revenue. It is also about giving back to the community through taxes, good causes, funds and Corporate Social Responsibility, that benefits Nigerians.

We offer the service of a wealth advisor on hand to help with the jackpot winners as well as a wonderful 360 degree marketing communications plan ensuring that we build a sustainable and loved brand that will play in this space for years and years to come.

In terms of Corporate Social Responsibility, we are currently starting to develop a framework that will enable us to contribute to the right and most fitting causes. I personally am very keen on giving back to the education sector.

What does it cost to play TOTI PRIMA Lotto? What are the channels available for players to obtain the ticket to play? And how do you facilitate payments for winners?
The cost of one ticket is N100, and this price is constant across channels be it online, at partner store locations or with our street agents. We do offer what is called an expanded system, where a player can select more than 5 numbers, giving them more chances of winning. More information on this can be found in our game rules on our website.

Once a player matches either 3 or 4 numbers, if they have purchased a physical ticket, all they have to do is go any of our partner stores with their ticket to claim their winnings. If they have purchased their ticket online, their wallet will be automatically credited with their prize. For anyone winning the jackpot, we will welcome them at our Head Office in order to claim their prize.

We have noticed in Nigeria that in this business, there is a dominance of strategic external partnerships or full foreign ownership. What is the level of foreign involvement in TOTI Prima Lotto?
TOTI Prima Lotto has both foreign and local investment. Our foreign shareholders come with experience in running lottery operations in Europe.

What possible peculiar challenges are you expecting as you are coming into Nigerian market?
The challenges are similar to any you’d expect if one were to operate in any international market. However, with the years of lottery gaming experience that the team has, as well as the partners we have on board in Nigeria, we are confident we can overcome them.

What is it that gave you the confidence that you will do well in the Nigerian market hence motivated you to invest in this market?
In analyzing the Nigerian market we discovered a mature economy, with truly strong regulators, world class banks, professional lawyers, creative marketers and other support companies who, we believed, could help us achieve our goals.

We also felt that, thanks to the curiosity, high consumer awareness and technological know-how of the Nigerian people, we would be well received into this truly discerning marketplace.

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