The Director-General of Ghana’s National Lottery Authority (NLA), Mr. Mohammed Abdul-Salam, has called for accelerated integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in lottery operations as part of a broader strategy to counter rising mobile fraud and cybercrime across Africa’s gaming industry.
Speaking on the sidelines of a high-level seminar hosted by the African Lotteries Association (ALA) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Mr. Abdul-Salam described the seminar as a “wake-up call” for lottery institutions to embrace AI-based tools in fraud detection, security, and operational efficiency.
“We have people using our images to woo unsuspecting individuals to defraud them of vast sums of money,” he stated. “This is a call to action to deploy advanced technological solutions to fight mobile fraud and cybercrime.”
The seminar, officially opened by ALA Vice President and Director-General of PMU Mali, Mr. Doumbia Fassery, focused on the role of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity in safeguarding the lottery industry. Topics ranged from AI’s use in fraud analytics and operational intelligence to the cybersecurity threats facing lottery operations in the digital era.
Notable contributions came from European Lotteries’ Legal Advisor Philippe Vlaemminck and digital law expert Dr. Coulibali Ibrahim, who joined panel discussions on regulatory and technological adaptation. The event also featured practical demonstrations of AI tools being used globally to mitigate risks in the gaming sector.
WLA Executive Director Luca Esposito reinforced the urgency, urging ALA members to integrate AI into their systems as part of a comprehensive approach to modernising the lottery industry.
In addition to the technical sessions, the ALA convened its General Assembly on June 25 to review its 2024 financial report and ratify new appointments. Mr. Abdul-Salam was officially confirmed as ALA’s 4th Vice-President, completing the term vacated by former NLA Director-General Mr. Samuel Awuku. The appointment was first co-opted by the ALA Board in February following his elevation to NLA Director-General.
Addressing the Assembly after the ratification, Mr. Abdul-Salam expressed gratitude and pledged to work diligently with fellow ALA executives to advance the Association’s goals. His term as 4th Vice-President is set to run through the 2027 financial year.
The ALA seminar and General Assembly underscored the critical importance of regional collaboration and technological adaptation as Africa’s lottery sector navigates digital transformation and growing security threats.
