The National Lottery Authority (NLA) handed a GH¢10 million cheque to the Consolidated Fund on Tuesday, its first such payment to the government since 2017. The move follows a series of reforms aimed at boosting revenue mobilisation, tightening oversight of lottery operations and increasing the state’s share of the sector’s earnings.
Director‑General Mohammed Abdul‑Salam said the dividend demonstrates that the reforms are beginning to bear fruit. “This is more than a transfer of funds. It is evidence that the reforms we committed to are beginning to work and a promise of what is still to come,” he told reporters.
Abdul‑Salam added that the NLA is reviewing its commercial arrangements with private operators to ensure revenue‑sharing structures better reflect international best practice and the state’s position as owner and regulator. He also outlined plans to move to an open, competitive licensing framework that would end exclusivity, attract more credible operators and widen the revenue base.
The Authority is introducing independent real‑time revenue monitoring across all licensing channels so that every cedi staked is visible, verifiable and accounted for. The reforms are also expected to create new revenue streams, including a Sports Fund Lotto in partnership with the Ghana Sports Fund, a dedicated daily draw to support sports development while contributing to national development.
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson welcomed the dividend and said the ministry would work with the Attorney General’s office to ensure all revenues due to the NLA are properly accounted for and received by the state. “I am particularly happy to note that National Lottery is back,” he said. “Working with Attorney General this month, October will finalize those agreements.”
Abdul‑Salam concluded that as the reforms mature, the NLA’s contributions to the national purse will grow significantly in a transparent, sustainable and defensible manner, further strengthening governance and delivering greater value to the state.
