RTI Request Seeks 13 Years of Lottery Sector Records as Citizen Demands Full Accounting from GRA, NLA
A private citizen has triggered what could become one of the most sweeping disclosures of Ghana’s lottery and gaming industry after filing formal Right to Information requests seeking detailed financial and operational records from the Ghana Revenue Authority and the National Lottery Authority.
Mr. Ayisah Foster, Managing Editor of The Punch Newspaper, submitted two separate applications on May 10, 2026, invoking Section 18 of the RTI Act, 2019 (Act 989). The requests target tax collections, licence fees, revenues, regulatory compliance, and financial performance of dozens of lottery and gaming companies operating in Ghana over a 13-year period.
Scope of the Request to GRA
In his application to the Commissioner-General of the GRA, Mr. Foster requested details of taxes collected between 2020 and 2025 from 36 lottery and gaming companies.
The companies named include KGL Technology Limited, Onassis Sports Limited, Alpha Lotto Limited, Game Park Ltd, Afrilotto System Ltd, SIMNET Ghana Limited, and TekStart Africa Limited, among others. The petition covers corporate income tax, VAT, withholding tax, and other levies paid by operators in the sector.
Mr. Foster stated the information is being sought “pursuant to Section 18 of the RTI Act, which guarantees citizens the right to access information held by public institutions, subject to specific exemptions under the law.”
Comprehensive Data Sought from NLA
A broader request was submitted to the Director-General of the NLA. It seeks licence fees and revenues received from 33 lottery-related companies between 2020 and 2025.
The NLA application also demands:
1. Payments to service providers: Details of payments made by the NLA to Lots-Services Ghana Limited, SIMNET Ghana Limited, and TekStart Africa Limited from 2018 to 2025.
2. Mobile short codes: Revenue figures generated through _890# operated by TekStart Africa Limited, _896# linked to Alpha Lotto Limited, and _859# associated with Onassis Sports Limited.
3. Licensing & penalties: Clarification on whether companies were duly licensed to operate the platforms, and details of penalties imposed for unauthorised operations.
4. Historical finances: Total current liabilities of the NLA from 2012 to 2020, annual revenues from the Authority’s 5/90 lottery product, total prize payouts, and yearly lotto win ratios.
5. Marketing commissions: Information on commissions paid to marketing companies selling lottery products through kiosks and POS terminals nationwide.
Live Draws and National Contributions Under Scrutiny
Mr. Foster also requested revenue accrued to the NLA from live lottery draws conducted by Alpha Lotto Limited on Ghana Television (GTV). He cited the National Lotto Act, 2006 (Act 722) and Lottery Regulations, 2008 (L.I. 1948), which assign supervision of lottery draws to the NLA.
The RTI applications further challenge long-standing public claims about the NLA’s contribution to state finances. Mr. Foster is seeking documentary evidence to substantiate assertions that the Authority generated annual revenues or profits ranging from GH¢500 million to GH¢3 billion between 2007 and 2020 for the Consolidated Fund.
Additional requests cover licence fees and revenues from mobile lottery platforms http://myalphaonline.com and http://theb2blotto.com between 2020 and 2025, including the identities of companies licensed to operate them.
Copies of the applications have been forwarded to the Ministry of Finance, and to the board chairpersons of both the GRA and NLA.
Potential Impact
The requests are expected to attract significant public interest and could intensify scrutiny of Ghana’s lottery and gaming industry. Key areas of focus include tax compliance by private operators, transparency in licensing arrangements, regulatory oversight by the NLA, and the financial management of revenues meant for the national purse.
Under the RTI Act, public institutions are required to respond within 21 days, with a possible extension of 7 days for large volumes of records, unless the information falls under specific exemptions such as national security or personal privacy.
The lottery sector in Ghana has faced public debate in recent years over licensing disputes, revenue sharing, and the role of private technical service providers. If released, the records could provide the first comprehensive, audited picture of how much the sector generates, who pays what, and how funds flow between operators, the NLA, and government coffers.
Neither the GRA nor the NLA had responded to the requests at the time of filing this report. The Punch Newspaper will publish updates as responses are received.
