The Lagos State Government has announced the construction of a 500-bed psychiatric hospital with a 1,000-bed rehabilitation wing — the largest facility of its kind in West Africa.
The announcement was made during Gamble Alert’s Responsible Gaming Symposium in Lagos by the state’s Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, who was represented by Dr. Tolu Ajomale, Head of Special Projects and Mental Health at the Lagos State Ministry of Health.
“This is a strategic investment directed by Mr. Governor to strengthen our mental healthcare system and address gambling as a growing public health concern,” Abayomi said.
This development marks Lagos’ boldest policy shift yet in addressing the often-overlooked health risks posed by Nigeria’s fast-growing gaming industry, particularly its impact on vulnerable youths and low-income populations.
While acknowledging that gambling is a legal, revenue-generating activity, Prof. Abayomi emphasized its hidden costs — including addiction, depression, and social instability — and called for industry-wide harm-reduction strategies.
“Operators must provide self-exclusion tools, but right now these are optional for users,” he noted. “We’re working to standardize these safeguards and enforce them through robust regulatory frameworks.”
Abayomi also revealed plans to create a centralized national database for tracking gambling-related mental health cases, as current data remains fragmented across hospitals, regulators, and gaming operators.
To ensure widespread impact, the Lagos government is expanding its grassroots outreach, including roadshows, flyers, local radio programs, and community campaigns, especially in informal urban settlements where gambling often thrives unregulated.
“We’re committed to working with NGOs, regulators, and community groups to make responsible gaming the norm,” Abayomi added.
Mr. Fisayo Oke, Founder and CEO of Gamble Alert, stressed the urgency of coordinated reforms.
“Responsible gaming is not optional, it’s a business imperative,” he said. “Protecting consumers ensures long-term sustainability for the industry.”
Oke acknowledged that completely eliminating gambling-related harm may be unrealistic, but emphasized that significant harm reduction is achievable through preventive tools, consumer education, stricter regulation, and ethical platform design.
“Players must understand how to gamble responsibly, while operators must build safer platforms,” Oke added, calling for urgent action to protect Nigeria’s young and vulnerable.
Also speaking at the event, Olajide Boladuro, Director General of the Oyo State Gaming and Lottery Board, cautioned youths against seeing gambling as a shortcut to success.
“Gambling is not a path to prosperity,” he said. “Our youths should focus on productive ventures, not betting kiosks.”
Boladuro outlined reforms introduced in Oyo since 2023, including stricter licensing, operator accountability, and enforcement inspired by international models such as the UK’s £5 million fine on a betting firm for underage gambling.
Through campaigns in underserved areas like Fopa and Igbo Elerin, Oyo is also taking the message to the grassroots with roadshows, radio programs, and community education, supported by Governor Seyi Makinde.
“Depression, anxiety, even suicide — these are real outcomes,” Boladuro warned. “Gambling is not a job. It’s just a game — and it should stay that way.”
He called for more collaboration among government agencies, civil society, and operators to promote financial literacy, mental health awareness, and strict industry compliance.
The Bigger Picture
With Nigeria’s gaming sector booming amid economic hardship and high youth unemployment, the Lagos and Oyo State governments are signaling a shift: one that prioritizes public health, regulatory reform, and social responsibility over unchecked profit.
As Fisayo Oke aptly put it:
“The conversation must lead to action. Everyone — government, industry, and civil society — has a role to play.”
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