Coalition slams Nigerian Senate for defying supreme court ruling on lottery bill
The legislation, known as the Central Gaming Bill 2025, cleared the House of Representatives earlier this year and received Senate concurrence on October 8, 2025.
Nigeria.- The Coalition for Good Governance (CGG), a network of civil society organisations, has criticised the Nigerian Senate’s recent approval of a bill to centralise lottery and gaming regulation, calling it a direct defiance of a Supreme Court ruling that limits federal powers to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The legislation, known as the Central Gaming Bill 2025, cleared the House of Representatives earlier this year and received Senate concurrence on October 8, 2025. It aims to repeal the invalidated National Lottery Act of 2005 and create a national framework for online and remote gaming across state borders.
Nelson Ekujumi, Convener of the CGG, addressed reporters in Lagos on October 19, describing the Senate’s action as an overreach that ignores constitutional boundaries. He said: “The passage of this bill constitutes a threat to national security and the constitution.”
He quoted the Supreme Court’s November 22, 2024, judgement in the case of Attorney General of Lagos State & 22 Others v. Attorney General of the Federation: “Lottery and gaming activities cannot be regulated by the provisions of an Act of the National Assembly. The subject matter lies entirely outside the legislative competence of the National Assembly.”
The CGG’s intervention follows similar concerns raised by Lagos State officials, who view the bill as a potential spark for legal battles. Lawal Pedro, Lagos Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, warned about the “unconstitutionality” of the bill on October 15 during a press briefing at the Lagos State government secretariat. He said: “Once the Supreme Court has spoken on a constitutional issue, its decision is final and binding on all authorities and persons in Nigeria, including the Executive and Legislature.”
The controversy traces back to a 2008 lawsuit filed by Lagos and 22 other states against the federal government, challenging its authority over lottery operations. For nearly two decades, operators navigated dual regulations: the federal National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) issued nationwide licences, while states like Lagos enforced their own rules through bodies such as the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority. This overlap led to enforcement clashes, including Lagos’s 2024 crackdown on unlicensed operators.
The Supreme Court’s unanimous decision by a seven-justice panel settled the matter, declaring the 2005 Act unconstitutional because lotteries fall under residual legislative powers reserved for states. The ruling voids federal oversight outside Abuja, the country’s capital, and restrains agencies like the NLRC from enforcing rules in state territories.
Ekujumi emphasised that the court’s directive leaves no room for federal re-entry without a constitutional amendment. He said: “The states sought a declaration that the National Assembly lacks the power to legally and constitutionally make any law to regulate and control the operation of the lottery in Nigeria.”
The CGG urged the House of Representatives to issue an apology for initiating the bill and called on the Senate to withdraw its concurrence to restore legislative credibility.
