Kogi outlines agency roles as pool betting compliance gaps emerge
A recent compliance exercise found agents unable to provide licensing or payment evidence, while some promoter contact details were no longer active.
Nigeria.- The Kogi State government has clarified the separate responsibilities of its commerce ministry and revenue service in regulating and collecting payments from pool betting operators. The distinction was made during a stakeholders’ meeting in Lokoja on Thursday, September 17, involving officials of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, pool betting agents, and representatives of the Pool Betters Association.
Permanent secretary Sualihat Musa-Amana said the ministry remains responsible for licensing pool betting and gaming businesses, negotiating applicable rates, and enforcing licensing requirements. The Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS), meanwhile, monitors and reconciles payments made by operators.
The engagement came after operators raised concerns about enforcement measures and uncertainty over the roles of agencies overseeing the sector. Moses Otiga, the ministry’s schedule officer, said a recent Revenue Task Force exercise found some agents unable to provide evidence of licensing or payment. Officials also identified premises where licences were not displayed as required.
The exercise also exposed outdated contact details submitted by some betting promoters. Acting director of commerce Yakubu Akoye said some of the contacts were no longer active or could not be reached.
Musa-Amana said the ministry was not seeking to impose additional levies or duplicate existing charges. She urged agents to display valid licences at their business premises and provide updated contact details for the promoters they represent. She added that the ministry plans to appoint a desk officer to liaise directly with the association on sector-related issues.
Revenue Task Force chairman Tijani Hassan said agents had generally cooperated with officials during the compliance exercise. He said the government would address areas of overlap between agencies through engagement with operators. He also urged agents to maintain contact with the promoters they represent, particularly those operating from outside Kogi State.
Pool Betters Association president Mustapha Ahmed said the association would provide the ministry with an updated list of active promoters, companies, and their contact details. The list will help the ministry maintain current records of active promoters and communicate directly with them on licensing, payment, and compliance matters.
