Nseobong Okon-Ekong writes that the chief regulator of the lottery business in Lagos, Bashir Are, appointed to office four years ago, has unveiled a game-changing project that will shift the attention of the gambling world to Lagos
As it is in many megacities, there is a healthy operation of regulated gaming in Lagos State, Nigeria’s business nerve centre, widely regarded as one of the largest economies in Africa.
Lotteries and gaming activities in Lagos come under the purview of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA), which derives its powers from the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority Law, 2021. This piece of legislation has been amended a couple of times to reposition the industry to the exigencies of global trends and international best practices while retaining the peculiarity of the Nigerian environment.
On October 19, 2019, the current management of the LSLGA, with Bashir Are as Chief Executive Officer, came on board. The administration had its work cut out for it. However, it was not expected to deviate from its founding vision to revolutionize the gaming industry through effective regulation. Being a sensitive industry, one of Are’s enduring strategies is frequent robust engagement with stakeholders in the industry. His overall goal is to work with similar bodies in other states to align the regulatory framework in the industry as much as possible.
Unfortunately, the spat over regulatory jurisdiction between the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) and the states over who has the power to regulate lotteries and gaming in Nigeria is a major hindrance to the rapid growth and development of the gaming industry.
While the NLRC insists that it is the apex regulatory government agency, the Are-led LSLGA is at the forefront of an assortment of states’ gaming boards that have decided that, not minding whatever is demanded of operators in the gaming industry by the federal government regulator, they must meet demands from the states.
At various fora, stakeholders, particularly the Association of Nigerian Bookmakers (ANB), the umbrella body for sports betting companies, have lamented the arduous processes and heavy financial commitment they are forced to comply with by federal and state regulatory agencies. With neither of them unwilling to yield ground, a truce is yet to be reached, and the adverse effect on the industry is apparent.
While the deadlock over regulatory jurisdiction subsists, Are has remained focused on the mission of the LSLGA, which is to regulate lottery and gaming activities by leveraging modern technological innovation and global best practices, thus making Lagos State the hub for all gaming activities in Africa.
Incidentally, this publication coincides with the fourth anniversary of the appointment of Bashir Abiola Are as boss of the LSLGA and the unveiling of preparations towards a successful hosting of the first-ever Africa Gaming Expo (AGE) in Lagos between March 11 and 14, 2024, at the Eko Convention Centre of Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island. The expo is planned as a landmark of Are’s tenure and a major annual activity on the continental and global gaming calendar. Already, relevant state government agencies like LSLGA, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture and the Association of States Gaming Regulators have endorsed the impending expo, organised by Spectrum Gaming and Entertainment Limited.
Appointed just before the global economy suffered a setback arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, the chief regulator of the lottery business in Lagos has glowing remarks on his scorecard from making copious life-changing good causes interventions through full scholarships to students, raising awareness against underage gambling, building and renovation of classroom blocks in Lagos public schools, building and equipping fire fighting stations. These have earned him a couple of recognition for excellence in service by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and sundry groups.
Are thinks AGE can make a positive statement to the rest of the world on the coming of age of the Nigerian gaming industry. The AGE will aggregate the vast working experience acquired over the years by the Chief Executive Officer of the LSLGA across different sectors like Information Technology, gaming and automated payment systems.
