Nigerian lottery commission boss inducted into African gaming hall of fame

Lanre Gbajabiamila, director-general of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), has been inducted into African gaming hall of fame.

He was also honored with the African gaming hall of fame award of excellence at the International Casino Exhibition (ICE) in London, United Kingdom.

Gbajabiamila, popularly called ‘Mr. Lottery’, was inducted into the highest lottery hall of fame for his dedication, commitment, steadfastness, and novelty in the development of lotteries and gaming, not only in Nigeria but also on the African continent.

The award was presented by Kate Chambers of Clarion, who praised the lottery boss for his achievements and leadership in the Nigerian lottery industry and was accorded a standing ovation in recognition of his accomplishments by prominent figures from the global lottery business in attendance.

Just before receiving the award at the London ICE event, Gbajabiamila was also honoured with another prestigious award from the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC), under the leadership of the minister of communications, innovation and digital economy.

Farouk Yusuf Yabo, permanent secretary of the communications ministry, on behalf of the minister, presented the award to the lottery boss and praised him for his valuable contributions to data protection in Nigeria.

“Your steadfast support and contributions to the National Data Protection Commission have not gone unnoticed. Your collaboration has been instrumental in furthering the goals of both commissions.” the minister said.

Muhammadu Buhari, former president of Nigeria, had extended the term of office of Gbajabiamila as the director-general of NLRC due to his profound accomplishments in his first term.

During his tenure, he successfully hosted the first-ever International Gaming Conference in Nigeria on October 31 and November 1, 2023.

This landmark event, held at Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos, was attended by the most respected players in the lottery and gaming industry from all over the world.

The conference was highly regarded by both local and international delegates, who praised the excellent organisation and the ground-breaking decisions reached during the event.

The director-general of Ghana lottery agency also described the conference as the best to be held in Africa.

Since he was appointed the chief regulator of lottery and gaming in Nigeria, Gbajabiamila has remarkably transformed the industry and steadily moved the lottery to a revenue-earning sector for the country.