The National Lottery Authority (NLA), in partnership with Fidelity Bank, has signed an agreement to deploy 5,000 modern Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals across the country, with technology partners Blue Penguin also on board.
The move forms part of efforts to move the Authority’s lottery operations away from outdated 2G technology onto a modern digital platform, a shift expected to improve network connectivity, speed up transactions, increase instant prize payments and strengthen the NLA’s competitiveness in the lottery market.
Speaking at the official launch and signing ceremony in Accra yesterday, the Director-General of the NLA, Alhaji Mohammed Abdul-Salam, described the project as a major step in the Authority’s digital transformation, coming after years of unsuccessful attempts to modernise its retail channel.
He said the existing POS system had relied on ageing 2G technology for almost a decade, which had made transactions slow and affected the operations of Lotto Marketing Companies (LMCs).
“We are replacing obsolete terminals and unreliable 2G connections with modern equipment and dependable network infrastructure,” he said.
Alhaji Abdul-Salam described the Fidelity Bank partnership as a private sector investment that would see the bank and its partners supply the new terminals, rather than the NLA procuring the equipment itself as it had done in the past.
He explained that previous efforts by the Authority to procure the machines had failed, making it necessary to adopt a new approach.
He said the rollout of the 5,000 terminals would help LMCs compete more effectively with licensed Private Lotto Operators while boosting revenue for the state, stressing that the purpose of the lottery was not to make individuals rich, but to generate funds for national development.
“The whole business of lottery is supposed to generate more revenue for the state for development,” he said.
A key feature of the new system, according to him, was an increase in the instant prize payment limit from GH¢1,200 to GH¢30,000 through the POS terminals.
For winnings above that threshold, he said Fidelity Bank would introduce a discounting arrangement allowing qualifying winners to receive their money immediately from the bank, while the NLA settled the amount with the bank over an agreed period.
Alhaji Abdul-Salam said the new payment structure would improve customer confidence without affecting the Authority’s cash flow.
The Deputy Managing Director in charge of Wholesale Banking at Fidelity Bank Ghana, Mr Kwabena Boateng, said the partnership was designed to address challenges affecting customers, Lotto Marketing Companies and the NLA alike. He said poor network connectivity, outdated POS devices and weaknesses in collections had reduced efficiency and affected revenue generation.
Mr Boateng said Fidelity Bank had worked with its technology partners to develop a solution that would improve connectivity and strengthen the Authority’s collection platform, adding that he was confident the new technology would help the NLA meet its revenue targets and deepen its contribution to national development.
BY AGNES OPOKU SARPONG