Industry Urges Regulatory Clarity as Nigeria Gambling Oversight Dispute Continues

Ben Cove, chief marketing officer of Logifuture, has urged policymakers to adopt a pragmatic approach as tensions continue between state and federal gambling authorities in Nigeria. The country’s regulatory trajectory remains unsettled amid ongoing jurisdictional disputes between different layers of government. In December, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rejected the proposed Central Gaming Bill, legislation that would have shifted oversight of the gambling sector to a single national commission, similar in structure to the now-defunct Lotteries Act. The president argued that the proposed law conflicted with a 2024 decision by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which determined that gambling regulation should fall under state-level authority rather than federal jurisdiction. As a result of the veto, the country remains in a period of regulatory uncertainty, with a definitive transition from federal oversight to a cohesive state-driven model yet to materialize.

Cove expressed confidence that a workable compromise could emerge during 2026. “I would say we hope that 2026 will be a year in which there is some common sense prevailing [in Nigeria],” Cove tells iGB. “Ultimately, they need to collectively find the system that will work. It’s in our interests to work alongside the various regulators and government officials to find some sort of either national legislation, national committee of regulation, or a set of local committees that will be agreed and sing from the same hymn [as the sector].”

Cove emphasized that any future regulatory restructuring should prioritize the safety of both consumers and licensed operators. “We want to be able to bestow the values of a safe market, of a marketplace which protects the users, and also which protects the operators, in the sense that we don’t want Nigeria to become a free-for-all where offshore operators can just jump in and seize market share and not pay tax or bestow the values and the legislative guidance that regulation brings,” he said. “It’s really in our interests to try and support this, and we really hope that there’ll be some light at the end of the tunnel.”

Although regulatory uncertainty continues to present challenges—particularly from a legal compliance perspective—Cove indicated that the deep market presence of Bet9ja provides operational stability. “Does it affect us day to day? Not really,” Cove explained. “We’re licensed and viable in every state that offers a licence, and even some that don’t really and pretend to. But ultimately, we have in excess of 20,000 retail outlets on the ground in Nigeria in every state, and our ability to play Bet9ja online has not been compromised.”

Cove also noted that clearer and more unified regulatory structures could serve as a strong signal to potential investors evaluating the Nigerian market. A cohesive framework could function as a “green light” for investors currently hesitant about entering the sector. At the same time, he cautioned that the market is already undergoing consolidation, with a limited number of dominant operators controlling significant share, creating high barriers to entry for new competitors. “It’s probably not the most appetising proposition for investors, certainly in the short and medium term, because if you’re to enter Nigeria, you’re going to have a lot of foundational costs in terms of brand building and route to market,” Cove added. “That isn’t going to be cheap. We’re talking about a country that has got a constant conveyor belt of consumers, because you’ve got more than a million people that turn 18 every single year. So from that perspective, it’s appetising. But when you look at size of wallet and average stake, and all of the other revenue-driving metrics, you’re not going to see a quick return, so it would need to be a very strategic, long-term committed move for anybody with or without a strong regulatory framework.”

The ongoing debate highlights the broader tension between national coordination and regional autonomy in regulating emerging digital gambling markets. Until a unified approach is established, industry stakeholders are likely to continue navigating a fragmented environment shaped by overlapping state licensing structures and unresolved federal policy ambitions.

By fLEXI tEAM