Olajide Boladuro on Nigeria’s New Gaming Licensing Framework
In a groundbreaking move that signals a new era for Africa’s most dynamic gaming market, state regulators in Nigeria have unified under a single body, the Federation of State Gaming Regulators of Nigeria (FSGRN). Speaking to iGaming AFRIKA during the Gaming Tech Summit Africa (GTSA 2025), Olajide Boladuro, Director-General of the Oyo State Gaming Board, unpacked this landmark development and explained how it aims to streamline and strengthen governance across Nigeria’s gaming and lottery sector.
The Supreme Court ruling in November 2024 ended years of regulatory confusion by declaring that the authority to oversee gaming and lottery operations resides with individual state governments, not the federal government. “The landscape of gaming and lottery in Nigeria has been all over the place for years now due to regulatory tussle,” explained Olajide. “That tug-of-war ended when the Supreme Court pronounced that the states are the ones that have the jurisdiction. It brought a sigh of relief to operators, regulators and even punters.”
At the heart of the new structure is the Unified Regulatory License (URL), a transformative framework designed to simplify compliance for operators while enabling more cohesive oversight by state authorities. Rather than applying separately to each of Nigeria’s 36 states, gaming companies can now operate across participating states using one consolidated license. “We don’t want operators facing cumbersome processes in different states,” Boladuro emphasized. “That’s why we’ve come together to issue the URL. It’s about harmonization, transparency, and ease of doing business.”
So far, 28 states, more than two-thirds of the federation, have adopted the unified license. Boladuro clarified that the remaining states are not in opposition but may simply need further sensitization. “Some states had their own frameworks before the judgment,” he said. “It’s their prerogative to join, but we’re optimistic. As they see the benefits, they will come on board. This is a collaborative, inclusive model.”
The transition, while promising, has not been without its challenges. The FSGRN had to quickly establish operational structures, from setting up its secretariat to agreeing on licensing fees and Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) thresholds across diverse jurisdictions. “Setting up the secretariat, determining license fees, GGR rates, those were our initial headaches,” Boladuro admitted. “But the biggest hurdle was persuasion. Convincing states to come on board took several conferences and engagements. Once they understood the benefits, the hurdles flew away.”
With its foundational issues largely resolved, the FSGRN is now shifting focus to future-forward initiatives such as digitized systems, responsible gaming protocols, and dispute resolution frameworks that can scale with industry growth.
Nigeria is now poised to set the pace for regulatory excellence across Africa, with unified governance firmly in place. “The market share in Nigeria is bigger than any country in Africa,” Boladuro asserted. “Now that the hatchet is buried and the states have been officially recognized as the regulators, the sky is the limit.” This transition has already begun to attract regional interest, with other countries reaching out to learn from Nigeria’s approach “Other countries have started reaching out to us,” he noted. “They want to study our gazette, understand our processes, and possibly adopt this model. It’s about raising standards across the board, in payment systems, responsible gaming, enforcement, you name it.”
Nigeria’s Unified Regulatory License isn’t just a legal fix—it’s a signal of stability, collaboration, and forward momentum. A fragmented market is now becoming a unified force, laying the foundation for growth that is not only scalable, but sustainable. “With this new association, we’re very well positioned to take Nigeria’s gaming industry to greater heights,” Boladuro concluded.
