Green Lotto Bets on Staying Power as Nigeria’s Lottery Market Evolves

Iyke Bede reports that, rather than attempting to outpace larger competitors, Green Lotto is strategically carving out its niche by emphasising customer service, platform simplicity, and a growing national engagement

In recent years, Nigeria’s gaming industry has grown moderately competitive, driven by a surge in new operators, tighter regulatory frameworks, and aggressive campaigns to attract and retain punters. In such a climate, most operators might fidget at the thought of staying ahead, but not Green Lotto. According to its Chief Operating Officer, Sandeep Natu, the company is already among the top three lottery brands in the country and is leveraging its proprietary technology to expand its reach and strengthen its market position.

“The market is big enough for everyone,” Natu noted following a tour of the Green Lotto office, noting his confidence in the market’s vitality, marked by its impressive growth trajectory.

Last year, the online lottery revenue projections stood at €85.82 million, expanding at a CAGR of 6.16% through 2028. Despite increasing competition, this growth pattern only translates to growing demand for the lottery sector, which will, in turn, spur innovation in service delivery.

Beyond Nigeria, where Green Lotto currently operates, the lottery sector across Africa is following a similar growth trajectory. The African lottery market was valued at $3.7 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.1 per cent to reach $6.13 billion in 2031. Some of the key drivers of this growth include a growing youth demographic and increasing internet connectivity.

Rather than attempting to outpace larger competitors, Green Lotto is strategically carving out its niche by emphasising customer service, platform simplicity, and a growing national engagement.

Understanding the lottery business in Nigeria, Natu explained that even punters loyal to a particular brand occasionally switch to experience playing on another platform. And that short window of contact is all Green Lotto requires to prove its mettle, backed by years of consistently building its brand image and leveraging technology to provide a seamless playing experience for punters, from choosing which game to play to cashing out their winnings.

“There are two things here. One, that there is enough space in the African and Nigerian market; that lottery market is so big that you don’t necessarily have to say that, I took the place of somebody,” stated Natu. “Even the top players are not able to cover the full demand that exists on the ground for the lottery sector. Today, people can come, set up lottery operations, and they can do well. The African lottery space is huge, and everybody is still growing.” 

Green Lotto invests in secure payment systems, real-time result tracking, and user-friendly interfaces to build and maintain user confidence. The adoption of mobile lottery solutions is on the rise in Africa, with platforms optimising for mobile access to allow users to participate conveniently from their devices.

“So, we have ways of verifying a ticket, we have ways of trying to see that this person has produced a genuine ticket,” added Natu. “On the digital side, we make sure that we have two-factor authentication and we have OTPs, so that before he cashes out, we verify that this is the person, because we will always send that OTP to the number through which he’s registered.”

With the recent Supreme Court ruling, Natu heaves a sigh of relief as the industry transitions from the regime of double taxation that was the industry standard in the past to a more consolidated front through the Federation of State Gaming Regulators of Nigeria (FSGRN), pointing out that regulatory authorities should facilitate businesses.

Additionally, Green Lotto aligns with initiatives to promote responsible gambling, including the implementation of self-exclusion options and spending limits, as encouraged by regulatory bodies.

As Nigeria’s lottery sector expands in scale and sophistication, Green Lotto is positioning itself not just as a participant but as a long-term player with a deep understanding of its audience and the technological backbone to serve them efficiently. With robust data protection, simplified interfaces, and a clear commitment to responsible gaming, it is building trust in an industry where credibility is often earned through consistency. 

Backed by a strong belief in market potential and the evolving needs of punters, Green Lotto isn’t chasing dominance; it demonstrates its strength by focusing on service, scalability, and smart regulation. In a space that rewards innovation over noise, that’s betting on staying power.