Onafowokan: National Lottery Transforming Gaming Industry in Nigeria 

The Managing Director of National Lottery Nigeria, Olayiwola Onafowokan, speaks about the company’s strides, the impact it will have on the lives of Nigerians, the transformation of the gaming industry. Emma Okonji presents the excerpts

Nigeria’s gaming industry is booming, with many companies trying to get the attention of Nigerians. What sets National Lottery apart, and how do you intend to drive the adoption of National Lottery Nigeria?

We understand how competitive the gaming industry is in Nigeria, and we are determined to be the country’s leading lottery services provider. What sets National Lottery Nigeria apart is that it is an initiative to better Nigeria and Nigerians. The socio-economic benefit this initiative will create in the country is mind-blowing. Also, to the best of my knowledge, we are the only lottery service provider in Nigeria that offers a jackpot prize with the ability to roll over and increase. We are confident that our unique offers, top-notch security, customer experience, and engagement will make National Lottery Nigeria the leading provider of lottery services in Nigeria. 

To drive the adoption of the Lottery in Nigeria, we focus on providing our customers with the best possible customer experience. We offer a wide range of lottery games, including the Naija Mega Jackpot with a whooping 45 million Naira starting prize, to the 6/49 lotto and our other instant games, where Nigerians can win up to N100,000 every hour. Furthermore, we offer our customers a range of promotional offers and loyalty rewards. 

Keen watchers would have noticed that you launched the National Game in Abuja on July 18, 2022, and just recently, you had a media briefing to announce the official launch of operations. Can you throw more light on these two activities?

Yes, we launched the National Game in Abuja on July 18, 2022, to mark the beginning of this groundbreaking initiative in Nigeria. Various stakeholders, including the government and the private sector, attended the launch. We officially unveiled the National Lottery Nigeria logo during the event and introduced the National Game. At the recent media briefing, we announced the official commencement of operations. Key stakeholders, partners, and the public attended the media briefing. We revealed that Nigerians can now play all our entertaining games and win mouth-watering prizes through the USSD code *9966# or website www.nationallotterynigeria.com.

What are the available games, and how affordable is playing them?

The National Game is proud to offer many games, including the Naija Mega Jackpot, where you can win 45 million Naira, 6/49 lotto, and fun instant games like Pick 3. We also offer scratch card games such as Scratch USSD, Easy Win, and Jara. All these games are affordable, as players can play for as low as N100.

How will the National Lottery open more opportunities and create wealth for Nigerians, reduce poverty and ramp up revenue for Nigeria?

Our operations provide access to affordable and fun gaming experiences, allowing more people to win whooping amounts of money in prizes. Additionally, we areintroducing initiatives such as the “Good Causes Foundation”, which will help to facilitate development in various areas in the country and create more entrepreneurship and job opportunities for Nigerians. In addition, the National Lottery Nigeria will increase revenue for the government to fund other vital projects.

With lotteries, there are draws and issues of integrity and credibility. How do you intend to conduct yours credibly?

We are committed to ensuring a fair and transparent process for all our draws. In pursuit of this, we have established an integrity committee that will be present at all live draws to observe the process and ensure it is conducted credibly. We are also regulated by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), which will work closely with us to ensure that all processes comply with the rules and regulations. We also have strict procedures to ensure that all draws are conducted fairly and without bias.

What platforms are the National Lottery Games available on?

The National Game is available on the USSD code *9966#. Our games are also available on our website, www.nationallotterynigeria.com, where players can easily purchase tickets and view the latest results. In addition, we are planning to introduce other platforms shortly, which will be communicated to the general public as we roll out.

How will you ensure gamers play responsibly?

At the National Lottery Nigeria, we are committed to promoting responsible gaming. We have strict guidelines and procedures to ensure that all players play responsibly. We also provide information and resources to help players make informed decisions when playing our games. Furthermore, our customer service team is available to answer questions and support players. Finally, we actively monitor and review player behaviour to ensure all our players play responsibly.

A lot of people need help understanding the workings of National Lottery Nigeria. Tell us about the concession you alluded to recently at your briefing Does the National Lottery Regulatory Commission own it?

The National Lottery Nigeria was established by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) and operated under the aegis of Elrae Ltd. Recently we announced that the NLRC granted us a concession to operate the National Lottery Nigeria. The concession allows us to run the National Game across the country and offer players a wide range of games. We will continue working with the NLRC to ensure the success of National Lottery Nigeria and the National Game and promote responsible gaming in Nigeria. 

What has been the feedback since you launched?

Since launching, we have received very positive responses from the public. Players have expressed excitement about the wide range of games available, the mega million prizes up for grabs, and the affordable ticket price of N100. We have also received positive feedback from stakeholders, both in the government and the private sector, who have expressed their support for this initiative we have launched to promote economic development in Nigeria.

What’s your sustainability plan?

At the National Lottery Nigeria, we are committed to being a sustainable and responsible organization. One of the things we are doing to ensure our sustainability is engaging with the public and stakeholders to ensure our operations are socially responsible. We are ensuring our operations are environmentally friendly and use resources efficiently. We are also focused on creating long-term value for our stakeholders, including our players, the government, and the private sector. 

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