Muhammad Auwal
In its quest to close the infrastructural gaps in the country and rejuvenate the country’s sinking economy, the federal government established the National Lottery Trust Fund, NLTF, to support national development, taking into consideration the importance of institutional building in the realisation of the government policies and programmes. Section 35 of the National Lottery Act 2005 gave life to the NLTF to facilitate the achievement of national development goals by promoting access to lottery funds for Good Causes projects that would drive national transformation.
It is also mandated to strategically complement the federal government’s efforts in improving the quality of life of all Nigerians through the investment of lottery funds in innovative projects that address Nigerians’ yearnings and aspirations in pursuit of sustainable social investment in a broad, inclusive, distinctive, and integrated approach.
NLTF’s activities since its inception were not much heard about until February 2018, when former President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Dr Bello Maigari as its executive secretary. The appointment, which was described by most players and stakeholders in the lottery industry as “well deserved,” marked a turning point not only for the agency, which recorded many successes and achievements but also in rebuilding the public and stakeholders’ confidence and trust in its activities.
Maigari, a first-class graduate of Applied Economics and a master’s degree in business administration, politics, and international affairs from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, is a highly accomplished professional, technocrat, and seasoned administrator with over 30 years of experience in public service. He is known for his dedication to duty and humane disposition.
He succeeded in introducing many result-oriented reforms that refocused the institution on effective service delivery. Today, the agency’s narratives are changing as a catalyst for national infrastructural growth and development through the proceeds of the lottery in the country.
His ebullient qualities, brilliant performance in all the places he served, educational attainment and leadership acumen made him an attractive bride to NLTF. He was brought on board in 2011 as the coordinator of its Lagos office, where he rose through the ranks to become the deputy director of operations through hard work, commitment, and dedication.
He was subsequently promoted to the substantive director of operations of the agency, a position he held until 2018, when Buhari appointed him as the executive secretary of NLTF. On assumption of duty, Maigari swung into action to bring his leadership sagacity and vision to bear in the agency’s activities. He started by restoring the lost glory of the agency by introducing significant policy reforms and strengthening the legal framework to reposition and rebrand the agency to meet its obligations, culminating in various successes recorded by the agency in various sectors of the national economy.
Some of these operational and legal frameworks include guidelines on how to access the lottery fund for intervention projects, a guide for project management and planning, a guide for monitoring and evaluation, post-impact assessment standard operating procedures, a whistle-blower policy, a scheme of service, and conditions of service, among other reforms, which have repositioned the agency for optimal performance.
Within a short time in office, Maigari has succeeded in making the agency attractive to most stakeholders and players in the gaming industry, who continue to invest massively in lottery businesses.
This enabled the agency to raise more funds, which were channelled into the national economy to improve the lot of Nigerians and bridge the country’s infrastructure gaps.
The Maigari-led management of NLTF, in line with its vision of giving back to the economy and bridging the infrastructure gap in the country, as encapsulated in its policy document and regulations, embarked on aggressive people-centred social intervention programmes and community development projects, especially in rural areas cutting across different sectors of the economy.
These interventions, coupled with his leadership skills, expertise, innovative ideas, creativity, foresight, footprints, and legacies, have not only added value to the country”s economy but also enhanced the socio-economic lives of Nigerians achieved through focus and visionary leadership that prioritised prudent management of resources and execution of intervention projects across all sectors including infrastructure, health, education, sports, among others.
Maigari’s enviable record of achievements and virtues of honesty, transparency, and accountability have endeared him to the hearts of Nigerians and earned the agency many national and international awards and commendations.
It is, therefore, not surprising that in appreciation of Maigari-led leadership, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu renewed his appointment for another 4-year term to enable him to consolidate the gains recorded so far with its attendant impacts on the country’s infrastructure and economic revival.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the sector applauded Maigari’s reappointment, describing it as a reward for excellence, hard work and superlative performance which would further reposition the agency and boost the country’s economy and national development.
