Ghana’s National Lottery Authority set for overhaul in 2026
Ghana’s National Lottery Authority has been gearing up for a significant change as large-scale reform initiatives have been slated for 2026. The upcoming reform package will work to improve the organisation’s functionality, as well as enhance its portfolio for customers across the country, as explained by Director-General Mohammed Abdul-Salam.
Governance reforms and product expansion
According to Abdul-Salam, “In 2026, there are some key reforms we intend to implement as far as the governance of the National Lottery Authority is concerned. We will also be introducing more products for the gaming public,” as reported by GhanaWeb news outlet. This announcement comes after the African Lotteries Association held a review meeting to round off the year, which occurred in Accra. Abdul-Salam represented his organisation as Vice President of the African Lotteries Association. This review is done to look into operations during the previous year and plan for the coming year.
Modernising retail infrastructure
In addition to this, the Authority is investing heavily in retail infrastructure upgrading. Abdul-Salam presented to Ghana’s Parliament that the Authority and Fidelity Bank will roll out no less than 5,000 point-of-sale terminals nationwide. The new terminals will help eliminate outdated machines currently in use at lottery outlets. The latest development will enable the Authority to depend less on unregulated outlets and will improve control of operations.
Tracking and transparency for players
The infrastructure measure follows other initiatives launched in the previous period, with the focus on compliance and traceability. The National Lottery Authority launched the QR code sticker system for registered agents on 1 September 2025. The stickers target agents, as well as ‘lotto writers,’ who work under the auspices of private lottery operators. The enforcement agents are able to check licensed operators in real time through the system. The measure helps to distinguish between licensed sellers and illicit operators in public domains. When quoted, Abdul-Salam stated that the measure supports other operational reforms. “The stickers, which show operator details and a compliance QR code, are part of efforts to rationalise operations and make licensed activity more easily traceable.”
Boosting public confidence through visibility
In December 2025, the Authority carried out another major operational reform. The NLA moved the live lottery draw to Ghana Television, airing it immediately after the prime-time news at 8:00 pm. The objective of the reform is to increase the visibility of the lottery draw and hence improve the trust in the results of the lottery draw.
Crackdown on illegal activity
Player protection is also part of Ghana’s reform efforts. In January 2026, the Authority published public advisories against illicit lottery operations, encouraging lottery players to transact only through licensed platforms and agents. This move is in line with the Authority’s position against unregulated betting operations. Improvement in governance is expected to accompany the enforcement push.
Regional influence increases
Ghana’s changes have attracted investment interest from outside its borders. Industry experts see the growing influence of the 5/90 lottery system in Ghana. The measures taken by the Authority in its governance have attracted the interest of its peers in the region. Countries like Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa are closely watching the Authority’s 2026 overhaul plans.
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