BetKing Nigeria is celebrating its 4th anniversary this year.
During a recent interview with a prominent industry pundit, BetKing Nigeria Managing Director Gossy Ukanwoke answered a few key questions about the company. A lot of his focus was on the betting giant’s commitment to social responsibility and responsible betting in Africa.
BetKing’s Presence in Nigeria
Currently present in four countries, namely Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Kenya, Ukanwoke described the BetKing brand as being in the business of “the making of kings”.
The company is exclusively focused on sports betting on the African continent, explained the BetKing Nigeria MD.
The betting and entertainment giant first arrived in Nigeria in 2018. Since then, it has blossomed into one of the largest role-players in the online sector. Ukanwoke said the brand has become a household name trusted by its customers as a retail and online bookmaker.
Local Challenges
Weighing in on the challenges of the gambling giant’s presence in Nigeria, Ukanwoke said the number one order of business for the operator has been to entertain the individual customer. However, they also want to change how sports betting is viewed in Africa.
Ukanwoke said that it has been important to improve the state of the society where the operator is doing business. He described the challenge of doing business in a market already populated by established brands. Since true recognition is never an instant thing, building a trustworthy and responsible brand has been no easy task.
The MD explained that the operator has been facing this challenge head-on by staying true to what the brand stands for. They aim to empower individual bettors while remaining focused on meeting the customer’s specific needs and preferences.
He said while not easy, meeting this challenge is something that has been more than worth the effort.
State of Investing
Nigeria, due to the sheer size of its population, enjoys a definite advantage over most other African countries.
The BetKing Nigeria MD said this is important to consider within the context of this advantage. The decision on the part of the operator to start out its presence in Africa has proved a significantly positive step.
He said that the decision to remain active in the country has enabled the operator to expand its business at a pace and to move successfully into more African countries.
Ukanwoke also gave a word of thanks to the agents who had assisted the operator in delivering its services in the country. This help, he said, contributed greatly to the return on investments for BetKing.
The IT Network
The condition of local IT provision and accompanying networks is such an important factor for those operators focused on online betting and entertainment. So, the MD also weighed on how the internet in Nigeria affects the company’s operations.
Over the course of recent years, there has been a great improvement in connectivity and availability of an online network, he said. More people than ever before now have internet access via their mobile phones. This is expected to continue to improve even further, meaning good news for everybody in the industry.
The Value of Campaigns
When asked about the operator’s famous AFKON campaign that saw BetKing Nigeria giving away cars, Ukanwoke said since people love to win, these campaigns form an important part of their growth strategy.
He added that the operator loves to give just as much as customers love to receive.
BetKing Nigeria’s latest big campaign is called 4 Years on the Throne. The campaign centered around rewarding the community for supporting the operator’s business, the MD explained.
Part of that business has been the creation of 50,000+ new jobs via BetKing Nigeria’s network of agencies.
Other key campaigns and initiatives have included the KidsPort project, a football program presented after school. This program is special because it seeks out young football potential from orphanages and poorer communities. It brings opportunities to youngsters who would not have had the chance to develop their talents.
Making a difference is clearly what counts for BetKing Nigeria.
