Youth, Policy, and Progress: Lloyd Ekweremadu’s Approach to Responsible Gaming in Enugu
In Nigeria’s rapidly evolving iGaming landscape, Enugu is taking deliberate steps to build an industry defined by integrity and responsibility. The state’s leadership has adopted a progressive approach that balances economic ambition with a firm commitment to social impact through clear policies, youth-focused initiatives, and partnerships that prioritize awareness over exploitation.
Speaking at the recent Enugu Gaming Conference, organized by the Enugu State Gaming Commission, Lloyd Ekweremadu, Commissioner for Youth and Sports, highlighted the results of this collaborative framework, noting that the relationship between regulators and operators has continued to strengthen. According to him, the synergy shows that they are doing something right in aligning growth with accountability.
Under his leadership, the Ministry of Youth and Sports has worked closely with the Gaming Commission to ensure that as the industry expands, young people remain informed and protected. He recalled a recent outreach initiative held in the same venue, where students from 50 different schools participated in a program designed to educate children and guardians about the dangers of underage gaming.
Read Also: Building Trust Through Technology: Udukheli Izebuno on the Enugu Gaming Monitoring System
Ekweremadu’s approach to gaming regulation is grounded in the belief that a sustainable industry must protect the very communities that sustain it. He emphasized Enugu State’s coordinated initiatives to advance responsible gaming and maintain strong regulatory standards through structured school sensitization programs, radio messaging, and community-based education campaigns.
Under the administration of Governor Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, the state’s gaming reforms are part of a broader economic strategy to expand Enugu’s GDP from $4.4 billion to $30 billion within the coming years. Ekweremadu described this progress as a product of “ease of doing business” and the deliberate effort to attract responsible investors. Streamlined revenue systems, simplified taxation, and the establishment of a one-stop regulatory center have positioned Enugu among Nigeria’s most business-friendly states.
What truly sets Enugu’s strategy apart, however, is its integration of youth and technology. With a generation increasingly drawn to digital entertainment, the government’s focus on education, sports development, and digital literacy bridges entertainment and empowerment. As Ekweremadu noted, operators are “working together to fund sports development as a way of giving back to the sector that benefits them.”
