Reno Omokri, a well-known face on social media with over 2 million followers on X (Twitter), has a new mission: He’s calling on President Bola Tinubu to put the brakes on sports betting apps in Nigeria. His reasoning? This could be a game-changer for the Naira’s value.
Quoting the National Lottery Trust Fund, Omokri highlights a significant concern: Nigerians are spending approximately $1 billion daily on gambling. This substantial amount, he argues, could be affecting the country’s economy.
In a series of tweets, Omokri proposed, “President Tinubu can improve the economic conditions in Nigeria and enhance the value of the Naira by instructing the Nigerian Communications Commission to ban sports betting apps and revoke the licenses of physical betting operators. This approach is more beneficial than the previous government’s #TwitterBan.”
Gambling: A National Concern
Omokri, who served as Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan, noted that an average Nigerian spends around $15 daily on gambling, with much of this money leaving Nigeria for foreign countries. This outflow, he suggests, is detrimental to the nation’s external revenue and overall economic stability.
In his message, Omokri stresses the urgent need to address the widespread issue of gambling in Nigeria, particularly its impact on young people. He cites the National Lottery Trust Fund, stating that $1 billion is spent on gambling in Nigeria every day. A significant portion of this spending, he points out, is transferred out of the Nigerian economy to foreign countries. This trend, according to Omokri, undermines the strength of the Naira and poses a serious challenge to the nation’s financial stability.
