NLA-KGL partnership is a perfect deal sustaining Ghana’s lottery industry Razak Kojo Opoku defends arrangement

Mr Razak Kojo Opoku, a former Public Relations Officer of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), has defended the partnership between the Authority and KGL Technology Limited, describing it as a “perfect deal” that continues to sustain Ghana’s lottery industry and boost national revenue.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Opoku dismissed criticisms comparing the NLA’s operations to those of the telecommunications industry, calling such comparisons “misleading and uninformed.”
“Comparing the sale of telecom scratch cards to the operations of the lottery business clearly shows a lack of full knowledge, experience, and competence in how the industry works,” he said.

He explained that while telecom operations are regulated by the National Communications Authority (NCA), the lottery sector falls under the National Lottery Authority (NLA), two completely different frameworks with distinct operational and legal structures.

According to him, KGL Technology Limited operates legally as an online Lotto Marketing Company (LMC) under Act 722 (National Lotto Act, 2006). The company, he said, prepays for NLA coupons every quarter, with payments made directly into the Authority’s official Lotto Account. The NLA then transfers the net balance, after deductions, to the Consolidated Fund.

Mr Opoku highlighted that KGL had invested millions of dollars in technology infrastructure to enable the online sale of NLA’s 5/90 lottery through USSD and web platforms — a move that has significantly increased the Authority’s revenue.
“It is not true that NLA pays commissions to KGL. The arrangement is fully supported by Sections 2(4) and 37(d) of Act 722, which empower the Authority to determine its licensing agreements,” he clarified.

Responding to claims that KGL has monopolised the online lottery space, Mr Opoku explained that the NLA had granted exclusive licenses to different companies for specific online products, citing 959 for KGL (5/90), 766 for Atena, 787 for Wotiriyie, and 946 for Game Park. He noted that issuing a single license per product was standard practice globally.

He also dismissed reports that 80–90% of lottery players had migrated online, stating that such claims lacked empirical evidence. According to him, traditional kiosk-based sales and banker-to-banker operations still dominate about 80% of the market, given their stronger community presence and higher commissions.

Mr Opoku disclosed that KGL contributed GH₵157.6 million to the NLA in 2024 alone, describing it as “unprecedented in the Authority’s history.”
“If NLA used eight years, from 2013 to 2020, to pay GH₵182 million into the Consolidated Fund, then KGL’s contribution of GH₵157.6 million in one year should be applauded,” he said.

He rejected arguments that KGL should receive a 31% commission, describing them as “financially unsound,” since the company already bears the cost of technology, marketing, maintenance, and risk management.

Dr Opoku also challenged The Fourth Estate to substantiate its claim that KGL generates GH₵3 billion annually, saying such figures were not supported by official data.
“If the Ghana Revenue Authority knows the actual revenue KGL generates, then it is impossible for NLA, the regulator, to be unaware,” he asserted.

He maintained that the NLA-KGL partnership had not breached any provision of Act 722 or L.I. 1948, and that there was no evidence of corruption, mismanagement, or conflict of interest. Both the NLA Board and the Ministry of Finance, he said, had expressed satisfaction with the deal’s performance.

Describing the relationship metaphorically, he said:
“If the car owner (NLA) is satisfied with the performance of the driver (KGL), outsiders have no justification to interfere.”