Ghana Business Chamber Defends NLA-KGL Lottery Licensing Deal Amid GHS 3 Billion Controversy

The Chamber of Indigenous Business & Investors (CIBI) has come out in defense of Ghana’s National Lottery Authority (NLA) over its 15-year licensing agreement with KGL Technology Limited, pushing back against reports that the deal undervalued state assets.

Recent investigations by media outlets, including The Fourth Estate and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), claimed the NLA “handed over a prime GHS 3 billion business to KGL for just GHS 170 million annually,” and highlighted concerns over the contract’s automatic extensions.

In response, CIBI disputed those figures, arguing that NLA’s historical highest revenue was GHS 401.7 million in 2017, and that total lottery revenue from 2013 to 2020 was GHS 2.77 billion—far below the alleged GHS 3 billion.

CIBI further emphasized that KGL’s annual payments of GHS 170 million surpass past NLA contributions to the Consolidated Fund, and that over 2019–2024 the sums paid by KGL to NLA exceed what NLA itself remitted over 2013–2024.

Defenders of the deal also cite precedent: long-term licensing agreements have existed previously—for example, Lots Services Ghana signed a 15-year license in 2013, and Simnet had a 10-year contract from 2015.

In a related clarification, Razak Kojo Opoku, a former NLA public relations officer, refuted claims that the partnership violates the National Lotto Act (Act 722) and Regulation LI 1948. He explained that while NLA retains the draw and supervision functions, it is legally permitted to license third parties to distribute lottery products via digital platforms.

Meanwhile, data shows that KGL paid GHS 157 million to NLA in 2024 alone—a marked increase from previous years’ payments.

As the debate intensifies, the spotlight remains on transparency, value for money, and whether the licensing deal represents prudent revenue maximization or a missed opportunity for the state.