The National Lottery Authority (NLA) will at the end of 2023 earn GH₵92 million from its partnership deal with Keed Ghana Limited (KGL) as well as royalties from other countries.
Speaking at the Minister’s Press Briefing organised by the Information Ministry on Monday April 3, 2023, the Director General of the Authority, Samuel Awuku, said his outfit renegotiated the deal with KGL Group, which stood at GHC25 million in 2021.
According to him, the deal was renegotiated to GHC55 million in 2022, and GHC65million in 2023.
He further disclosed that his initial trips to Ivory Coast and Nigeria “would now pay off as both countries will soon pay us royalties of GHC18 million and some GHC13 million respectively, for drawing NLA Games online through KGL Group, which will amount GHC92 million from KGL Group this year.”
“We have also begun engagements with Burkina Faso and Niger to trade our games and collaborate with them,” he added.
Revenue stabilisation
Commenting on efforts to stabilise and raise revenue, Mr Awuku said having inherited a debt of about GHC15 million, made of unpaid wins, on the assumption of office, the NLA has cleared a greater part of the debt. He assured that he would continue to make efforts together with his management to clear the outstanding debt.
He added that his outfit had developed the Instant Pay policy for players to instantly redeem wins of up to GHC1, 200 after the draw.
“In partnership with our Corporate Lotto Marketing Companies (LMCs), we have also instituted Prize Payment centres in our regional offices nationwide for wins up to GHC12, 000.00,” he said.
He said about GHC20 million was approved by the Board of the Authority to be spent on Good Causes Foundation.
Regarding the licensing of Private Lotto Operators (PLOs), he stated that doing so annually would sanitize the lottery space and generate revenue for national development.
“Operators who want to operate under the framework of the National Lotto Act, 2006 (Act 722) pay a sum of GHC1.5million while those who operate under the Veterans Administration Ghana Act, 2012 (Act 844) pay a sum of GHC500,000 since we have their franchise to operate their games,” he said.
Mr Awuku added that “PLOs are also required to pay a fixed figure to support the Good Causes Foundation.”
New draw machines
The NLA boss further told pressmen that his outfit had signed on new Third-Party Collaborators to bring in more revenue and some innovative and exciting games.
“Zeta Technologies, Blue Star Hi-Tech Company Limited, and Fortune Synergy are among them. We are also in talks with Supreme Ventures, the biggest lottery operators in the Caribbeans, together with their local partner who will introduce exciting new games that are not 5/90 in nature or form,” he stressed.
He announced that the Authority expects to phase out its over 25-year-old draw machines by the end of April, and use new draw machines purchased in accordance with World Lottery Authority Standards.
“We are also expected to launch our multiple draws by the first week of May,” he said.
On Community Draws, he said they would demystify the myth surrounding the drawing process.
He added that “games create moments of excitement and bring the draw closer to the people to enable them to observe the process.” As a result, draws would be held in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
