The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has signed a revised Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC).
The revised MoU, signed today, contained provisions to deter unapproved lottery and gaming practices on telecommunications platforms through information and intelligence sharing.
These were contained in a press release by the NCC Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka.
Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Professor Umar Danbatta, noted that the MoU, which will impact the gaming industry, was in sync with the Commission’s Strategic Vision Plan (SVP).
He said it was in a bid to promote fair practices in the industry for the protection of telecommunications consumers in relation to lottery and gaming activities.
The EVC said the collaboration was in line with the provisions of the Commission’s SVP, 2021-2025, which provides for facilitation of strategic partnership and collaboration with other bodies to enhance service delivery.
He said: “The initial MoU expired in 2022. Amendments and modifications have been made since no MoU is cast in stone, especially given the industry’s dynamic nature.”
Director General of NLRC, Mr Lanre Gbajabiamila, expressed confidence that the MoU will yield favourable outcomes in curbing illegal online gambling.
He also expressed optimism and hope that NCC and NLRC will achieve their intentions in the interest of gaming stakeholders.
Gbajabiamila noted how unapproved lottery and gaming activities and practices undermined the integrity of domestic and global gaming markets.
These, he said, were to the detriment of stakeholders in addition to undermining consumer confidence in these markets, hence the collaboration with the NCC to arrest such tendencies.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Executive Commissioner (Stakeholder Management), Mr. Adeleke Adewolu, disclosed that the MoU was designed to address recent technology information-sharing capabilities, and consumer satisfaction.
He added that the MoU was to enhance areas of co-regulation in line with the Federal Government’s digital economy mandate.
The new MoU replaced the one that was first signed by both organisations, which expired in 2022.
It provides complementary approaches to deter unapproved lottery/gaming practices on telecommunications platforms.
This is through information and intelligence-sharing in recognition of how unapproved lottery and gaming activities and practices undermine the integrity of domestic and global gaming markets to the detriment of stakeholders, in addition to undermining consumer confidence in these markets.
“Under the agreement, following requests from NLRC, NCC shall endeavour to block or disable illegal lottery gaming operators on the telecommunications service providers’ platform in Nigeria and NLRC
“The document was developed by a Joint Implementation Committee (JIC), comprising representatives of NCC and NLRC.
“The JIC is to implement the MoU and other matters that promote collaboration between both organisations in their regulatory functions,” it was stated in the release.
