Ghana’s flagship 590 lottery product is increasingly shaping how lotteries are operated across Africa, with several countries now studying and adopting the model, according to the Director-General of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), Mohammed Abdul-Salem.
Speaking at a Board meeting of the African Lottery Association (ALA), Mr Abdul-Salem said Ghana’s lottery system, particularly the 590, has positioned the country as a continental reference point for best practices.
“A lot of countries across Africa are emulating the example of Ghana when it comes to the 590 lottery,” he noted.
The ALA Board meeting, hosted in Accra, brought together lottery regulators and operators from across the continent to review operations for 2025 and outline governance and operational priorities for 2026.
Mr Abdul-Salem, who also serves as Vice President of the African Lottery Association, said discussions at the meeting underscored the need for a unified continental approach to lottery governance.
“Africa needs a common platform where we can share best practices and learn governance protocols for lotteries and betting,” he said.
The Association is currently led by the Director-General of LONACI, Côte d’Ivoire’s National Lottery, as President, with Ghana playing a key leadership role on the Board.
Beyond product innovation, the meeting focused on governance reforms, cybersecurity, and the expanding role of technology in lottery administration.
Mr Abdul-Salem highlighted ongoing training programmes in cybersecurity and blockchain-based lottery administration, some of which have already been held in Côte d’Ivoire and Morocco, as part of efforts to strengthen operational standards across Africa.
Committees are also being established to deepen capacity building in governance, compliance, and operations.
Looking ahead, the NLA Director-General said 2026 would be a year of reform for Ghana’s lottery sector, with changes expected in governance structures and product offerings.
“We will be seeing reforms as far as the governance of the National Lottery Authority is concerned. We will also be introducing more products for the gaming public,” he said.
While sports betting and other gaming products continue to expand across the continent, Mr Abdul-Salem maintained that Ghana’s lottery model, anchored by the 590, remains a key benchmark within Africa’s evolving gaming landscape.
The African Lottery Association is an associate member of both the European Lotteries and the World Lottery Association, aligning its work with international governance and operational standards.
