The Kogi government has reasserted its regulatory authority over the state’s pool betting, lottery, and gaming sector.

The permanent secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Sualihat Musa-Amana, said at a stakeholders’ meeting with agents and representatives of the Pool Betters Association in Lokoja on Thursday that the government was reasserting its regulatory authority over the sector.

Ms Musa-Amana said the meeting aimed to resolve concerns over enforcement activities by government agencies and strengthen a peaceful working relationship with operators.

She clarified that while the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service monitors and reconciles payments, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry remains responsible for licensing, negotiating rates, and sealing business premises in the sector.

The permanent secretary assured operators that the ministry had no intention of imposing additional levies or double charges, but urged them to properly display their licences and provide accurate contact details of their promoters.

She also announced plans to designate a desk officer to liaise directly with the association on payment and compliance matters.

The acting director of commerce, Yakubu Akoye, said the engagement followed gaps in the ministry’s records of pool betting promoters, with some previously registered contacts no longer active or reachable.

The ministry’s schedule officer, Moses Otiga, said a recent compliance exercise by the Revenue Task Force found some agents without evidence of licensing or payment, and in breach of the requirement to display licences prominently at their business premises.

Tijani Hassan, chairman of the Revenue Task Force, said agents had largely cooperated with the exercise, adding that the government was committed to resolving inter-agency overlaps through engagement rather than confrontation.

He urged operators to continue working through agents as the primary link to promoters, many of whom operate outside the state.

Mustapha Ahmed, president of the Pool Betters Association, thanked the ministry and pledged to submit a comprehensive list of active promoters, companies and contact details to support the ministry’s efforts to update its database.

Both parties expressed optimism that the engagement would strengthen cooperation and provide a framework for direct discussions with promoters in the coming weeks.

(NAN)