The Executive Vice President for Africa Affairs at the International Institute of Experts on Political Economy and Administration, Prof. Tunji John Asaolu, has strongly criticized calls to scrap the The National Lottery Regulation Commission and The National Lottery Trust fund.
Currently, 21 state attorneys general are seeking to scrap these federal lottery bodies through a case at the Supreme Court, while 16 other states support continued federal control over lottery revenue, which is shared among the 36 states and the FCT on a monthly basis.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Asaolu warned that such a move would pave the way for increased corruption and undermine the economic stability of Nigeria.
Asaolu emphasized the critical role the National Lottery Regulatory Commission and the Nigeria Lottery Trust Fund play in the country’s revenue generation.
He noted that many states, particularly non-oil-producing ones, depend on federal allocations for survival, as internally generated revenue is insufficient to support their infrastructure and social development needs.
He said, “Most states in Nigeria survive mainly on federal allocations to run their affairs, as internally generated revenue in most non-oil-producing states is not sufficient enough to complement the federal government’s efforts in improving the states’ infrastructure and social development.
“In the lottery sector, about 21 states’ Attorneys General are in the Supreme Court seeking to scrap the National Lottery Regulatory Commission and the Nigeria Lottery Trust Fund, while 16 states believe that the federal government should continue to collect the revenue since it is being shared among the 36 states and the FCT on a monthly basis.
“These are agencies of the federal government with over 20,000 staff members under the payroll.
“The act of the National Assembly empowered the commission to regulate the betting and gaming sector, while the Trust Fund is to collect all the relevant revenue due to the federal government of Nigeria and utilize it for the benefit of Nigerians.
“It is worthy of note that, over the years, lottery operators have deliberately surcharged the federal government by refusing to remit the due revenue of 27.5% and 25% to the government, respectively.
“Hence, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has taken the bull by the horns in automating the revenue sector of the lottery industry. This is an opportunity to harness the huge revenue in the betting and gaming sector, which shall improve the revenue base of the country.
“The operators of the lottery industry are not Nigerians. For example, BetNaija is owned by the Russian government, Ghana Games is owned by the Ghanaian government, and Baba Ijebu is owned by the Australian government, just to mention a few.”
