Foreign lottery, gaming giants to attend NLRC conference

Nigeria is set to host lottery and gaming industry giants from the United States of America, United Kingdom, South Africa, Botswana, Ghana and other countries of the world as the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) has concluded arrangements for the first international gaming conference in Nigeria.

The 2-day conference will hold at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos between October 31 and November 1, 2023.

Giving an update on the preparations for the global conference, the Director General of the NLRC, Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila, disclosed that the commission has put all the necessary arrangements in place for a successful conference.

Gbajabiamila told journalists that the elevation of the gaming conference, which commenced in 2021, to an international standard was in consonance with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu hinged on higher effectiveness at all sectors of government for greater governance, improved resources and better life for all Nigerians.

The NLRC boss stated that his commission was totally committed to the agenda, maintaining that he would spare no efforts in his avowed determination to make the lottery a major revenue earner for the country.

Since assumption of office, Gbajabiamila has tremendously grown the lottery industry in Nigeria with greater impact in its regulatory mandate and generating more funds into the coffers of the Federal Government.

The commission hit the over one billion naira IGR mark as a result of the pragmatic leadership of Gbajabiamila.

The Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Zephaniah Jisalo, is expected to be the special guest of honour, while Mr. Sam Awulu, the Director General of National Lottery Authority, Ghana, would deliver the keynote address at the conference scheduled to be attended by all the notable stakeholders, operators and players in the industry in the country.

According to a statement by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs of the commission, Mr. Magnus Ekechukwu, there would be goodwill messages from the Chairman, Senate Committee on Youth and Sports, Senator Yemi Adaramodu; Chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs, Ahmed Aliyu Abdulahi, and the Executive Secretary of the National Lottery Trust Fund, Dr. Bello Maigari.

Papers would be presented by eminent scholars including Professor Rachel Volberg of University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA. The international conference will be rounded off with a gala night where outstanding operators and players in the lottery industry would be given awards in different categories.