The Supreme Court has invalidated the National Lottery Act 2005, ruling that the National Assembly lacked the constitutional authority to legislate on matters related to lotteries and games of chance.
In a unanimous decision by a seven-member panel, delivered on Friday, the court declared that only state Houses of Assembly have exclusive jurisdiction over such issues. The lead judgment was read by Justice Mohammed Idris.
The ruling follows a 2008 lawsuit filed by Lagos State and other states challenging the National Assembly’s powers to enact the law.
The court further ordered that the National Lottery Act 2005 should no longer be enforced in any state of the federation, except in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which falls under the legislative authority of the National Assembly.
