Nigeria intends to roll out new Central Monitoring System for lotteries
In the African nation of Nigeria and the government has reportedly announced that it is soon planning to launch its Central Monitoring System so as to help unlock the huge potential of lotteries as a generator of public funds.
According to a Sunday report from the local arm of The Guardian newspaper, the move was revealed by the country’s Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs Minister, George Akume, as part of a special ceremony to help celebrate the handover of medical equipment to officials in the northerneastern state of Gombe. The legislator purportedly detailed that the premiere is to simultaneously involve the repeal of the existing National Lottery Act 2005 and the Gaming Act 2021 as a way to help earn funds for the promotion of quality health care.
Impressive intent:
The giant continent’s largest nation by population, Nigeria is expecting to see its annual budget deficit rise to around $13.7 billion by end of next year with Akume reportedly declaring that the imminent move is to allow the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari ‘to accommodate the growing dynamism of the lottery business’. The 67-year-old official purportedly pronounced that this will also ‘help steer the industry to international best practices’ while bringing in more cash for good causes and ‘sanitize the industry for much approved revenues’.
Alternative arrangements:
Nigeria is moreover one of the world’s largest exporters of crude oil and natural gas although Akume reportedly asserted that the government is now keen on finding ways of raising public funds from non-petroleum sources. The legislator purportedly moreover expressed pride at being able to help bring new medical equipment to the people of Gombe but warned licensed lottery operators that they would face serious sanctions if the were found to have broken the law.
Akume reportedly stated…
“The government is committed to ensuring that returns obtainable from other non-oil sources of revenues are maximized. Hence, lottery is one of such alternative revenue source that this government has identified and is determined to make it more productive and sustainable. As the sector becomes firmly established, it is our expectation that lottery will be included in the strategic plans of the nation.”
Sustained shortfall:
The Health Commissioner for Gombe, Habu Dahiru, reportedly told the newspaper that the recent delivery is certain to help his office increase its local outreach and healthcare delivery capabilities. However, he purportedly went on to disclose that the state with its population of well over 2.3 million people still requires further help and wants the federal government to supply more ambulances and medical consumables in addition to solar power solutions.