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Lottery can play significant role in generating revenue for FG, says Commission

The National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) says lottery can play a more pronounced and significant role in contributing to the revenue of the Federal Government.

The Director-General of the commission, Mr Adolphus Ekpe, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.
Ekpe was speaking against the backdrop of the dwindling oil prices in the world market.
He said that steps had been taken by the commission to monitor and regulate lottery operators in the country in such a way that more money would accrue to the coffers of the Federal Government.
``I believe that lottery has to play a more pronounced significant role in contributing to the revenue of the federal government.
``My prayer is that the steps we are taking to monitor and regulate should actually yield the desired results.
``We expect to play a greater role because the economy should be moved outside the oil (sector).
``Lottery deals with human beings and the purchasing power.’’
The director-general also charged staff members of the agency to rededicate themselves to generating more revenue for the country.
He added that the commission was planning to send a director of the commission to Niger Republic and Morocco to study how their Ramadan lotteries operate.
He also said that the commission was working hard to ensure that it came up with a strategy that would make the people to embrace lottery beyond social and religious barriers.
``We have to be more dedicated, we have to work harder, we have to self-educate ourselves, we don’t have to sit down. We cannot say that government has not given us money, we will not work.
``We have to innovate, we have to think outside the box, we have to sacrifice, we have to put some personal sacrifice, work hard and you get success.
``So we believe that this year with the steps we are taking to regulate better, monitor better, we should be able to generate more revenue.
``Now with the strategy of coming up with socially acceptable and religiously acceptable products, we will get more people to embrace lottery.
``And if more people come in, it is expected that what will come out of it will be greater.’’
He said that the commission would work closely with the National Sports Commission to come up with attractive sports schemes that would make members of the public to participate in.
He said, ``Sports betting is not based on Nigeria league, it is based on foreign league and we can actually use sport lottery to generate more money.’’

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