Lottery trust fund presents equipment to hospitals
With over 65 million active online bettors in Nigeria, who spend an average of $15 per day on various forms of online gaming and betting, the Federal government, yesterday, said it was targeting an increase in revenue from the sector.
The government also said it might introduce a new tax regime in the betting industry as part of its plan to boost revenue.
Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs, Zaphaniah Jisalo, disclosed this in an interview with journalists at the commissioning and presentation of medical equipment to select healthcare institutions in Nigeria by the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF).
The equipment, donated to 15 selected healthcare institutions from the six geo-political zones of the country, include: Digital X-ray machines, colour-ultra sound machines, suction machines, kidney dialysis machines, hydraulic beds, wheelchairs, blood banks, and other high-tech facilities.
The minister said NLTF, under his supervision, was at the forefront of driving the critical aspect of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to reports, with over 200 million people, Nigeria accounts for more than half of online betting activity in Africa.
Every day, 14 million online bets and payments are made in Nigeria.
Asked whether the Federal Government was planning to impose tax on online betting companies, the minister said: “We assure Nigerians we are going to do more this year. More revenue will come. We are in the season of generating revenue and the President is talking of the economy, so we are going to do that.”
Jisalo encouraged the NLTF to continue on the laudable support for the health sector, which, he said, was capable of making overseas medical tourism a thing of the past.
“I also urge you to ensure the full monitoring and evaluation of the process to track the utilisation of the facility so that project outcomes envisaged for the programme are delivered for the benefit of Nigerians,” he stated.
Executive Secretary, NLTF, Bello Maigari, said the intervention projects to the healthcare institutions were initiated and funded through proceeds raised from the lottery and gaming sector.
