The National Lottery Regulatory Commission is Nigeria’s foremost regulator of lottery and gambling-related activities and services. The Commission was established through the introduction of the National Lottery Act of 2005. It was born from a need to regulate the operations of Nigerian lotteries, to ensure accountability and transparency in lottery sales and operations, and to protect local players, stakeholders and the public in general.
The NLRC promotes sustainable and trustworthy lottery operation that is fuelled by professionalism and advanced technologies. This lines up with the country’s goals for social and economic development, while meeting the needs of the gambling industry’s valuable shareholders. The Commission also aims to reduce financial fraud and gambling-related crime through close regulation of permitted operators and brands.
The NLRC is currently headed up by its Director General, Lanre Gbajabiamila. Gbajabiamila is a graduate in Marketing at California State University (B.Sc Hons), and also a certified Unix Programmer for the Atlanta, Georgia-based Seale Group. Since his return to Nigeria, Gbajabiamila has been active in the lottery industry as well, working at both the National Sports Lottery (NSL) and the Essnet Lottery Operating System (ELOS) during the span of his career.