Supreme Court Strikes Down National Lottery Act

The Supreme Court on Friday invalidated the National Lottery Act of 2005, ruling that the National Assembly lacked the authority to legislate on matters related to lotteries and games of chance.

In a unanimous decision by a seven-member panel, the apex court declared that only state Houses of Assembly have the exclusive jurisdiction to regulate issues pertaining to lotteries within their respective states.

Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Mohammed Idris directed that the National Lottery Act of 2005 shall no longer be enforced in any state except for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where the National Assembly has legislative authority.

The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed in 2008 by Lagos State and several others, challenging the Federal Government’s power to regulate lotteries and games of chance nationwide.