By Felix Ugboja
ABUJA (Sundiata Post) The National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) has on Monday signed a major memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Communications Commission to improve the operations of lottery services in Nigeria.
The MoU was signed at the NCC headquarters in Abuja by the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Prof Umar Danbatta and the Director General of the Lottery Regulatory Commission, Mr Lanre Gbajabiamila.
The existing MoU between the two commissions was first signed in 2011. They have now considered it necessary to review it in order to accommodate trends in the industry and to streamline the strategies needed to ensure its success.
According to the NCC EVC, Prof Danbatta, the whole idea is to cooperate in order to provide the environment and provide facilities for the lottery regulatory commission to host lottery activities in the country.
He said, ‘’we have an existing MoU with the lottery commission since 2011, and we have deemed it appropriate to review that MoU. This event is important because they are bringing an additional service to the telecom sector. Such additional service could or may depreciate the quality of service, that’s why the NCC has to be involved from the very beginning to ensure that our operators who will be participating in the process will have the capacity to do so.
‘’Very soon we will licence our operators to host lottery operations. It is in line with one of the 8 point agenda of the NCC relating to strategic relationship and partnership.
‘’This is bringing empowerment to Nigerian citizens who will participate in the lottery they are about to host with Nigerian telecom operators.
The MoU has been accepted by us. NCC will withdraw their approval if the lottery commission withdraws theirs.’’
The Director General of the Lottery Regulatory Commission, Lanre Gbajabiamila, on the other hand expressed his delight about the event and commented on its importance.
He said, ‘’this is to improve the processing and accountability of the lottery operations in Nigeria. We are both regulatory commissions. And it is a great thing for us to collaborate, work together for the betterment of Nigeria and protecting the reputation of lottery in Nigeria. We have met with the operators to inform them on the ‘dos and don’ts’ of the lottery and gaming space in Nigeria. Any one in it ought to be regulated and ensure that laws are respected and frauds averted.
‘’We thank NCC for making this happen. We will understand each other’s roles and learn from each other because with technology the world is changing very fast. We want to observe the best practise as done all over the world. We hope this takes us to a better place.’’
Notably among the things added in the revised MoU, is that the NCC would withdraw their approval whenever NLRC withdraws its permit from service operators for lottery.
