The National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) has granted licence to an indigenous private lottery firm, Pay Day Lotteries Limited, to commence operation in the country.

The Director, Regulations and Monitoring of the NLRC, Mr. Emmanuel Jeminiwa disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.

Jeminiwa said that facilities put in place by the new company would take lottery to a new level in the country.

“Pay Day Lotteries Ltd has been licenced to operate in Nigeria.

“The approval by the NLRC to licence the company is not about the people involved, but about the system that has been put in place.

“The system put in place by Pay Day Lotteries is rated to be the most modern in the lottery industry, being used all over the world.

“Having seen the way it was test-run, we are very sure that this company will run the business in the most transparent manner.”

Jeminiwa underscored the need to sensitise the public to the importance of lottery to economic development and its difference from gambling.

According to him, lottery business benefitted not just the citizens but the government which, according to him, distinguished lottery from gambling, pool betting and others.

“There is statutory contribution to trust fund in lottery and every kobo that goes into the trust fund is an intervention fund, available to government to service its people.

“It is used to provide other infrastructural facilities that budgetary allocation might have not taken care of in sectors like education, health or sports.

“Lottery industry has the capability to provide employment for a lot of people, even those with little educational qualification as you do not have to be a graduate to operate the system.”

He assured that NLRC would not fail in its duty to ensure that transparency cuts across the board in lottery operation in the country.

Also speaking to NAN, Mr. Patrick Khoury, the Director of Operations of Pay Day Lotteries, said the company would take lottery business in Nigeria to global height through transparency and accuracy to the players and regulators.

“The technology that we have is very transparent to the regulatory body and to all the players that are going to play lotto in our company, which is in line with the global trend.”

He said the lottery will commence on Sept. 14, from morning to 7 p.m. daily.

“We are starting with Abuja, where we have over 50 agents trained on the operation of our system, and they too will get people that will work with them across the territory.

“In the next three months, we will be extending to other states where we will continue to operate with the global best practice.”

Speaking in same vein, Mr. Olasheni Balogun, the Chief Operating Officer of the company, commended NLRC for licencing the company.

He said Pay Day Lotteries will operate in partnership with a world renowned lottery company, JP Vegas. (NAN)