His appointment follows the resignation of the immediate past Director-General of NLA, Mr Samuel Awuku, who was elected to the same position on March 8, 2024.

With Mr Abdul-Salam now lead­ing the NLA, the ALA Board of Directors unanimously approved him to take over Mr Awuku’s re­maining term as Vice President.

During an online executive meeting, ALA President, Mr Dra­mane Coulibaly and other commit­tee members welcomed him and expressed confidence in his ability to contribute to the association.
    

Following his appointment, Mr Abdul-Salam paid a working visit to the Loterie Nationale De Côte D’Ivoire (LONACI), NLA’s sister lottery body, where he was warmly received by Mr Dramane Coulibaly, who also serves as ALA President.

The visit was to strengthen ties between the two organisations and learn from LONACI’s operational strategies. Expressing gratitude for the new role, Mr Abdul-Salam thanked the ALA leadership and pledged to work closely with them to address industry challenges and advance the association’s goals.

He acknowledged the strong relationship between NLA and LONACI and emphasised the need to build on the achievements of his predecessor, Mr Awuku.

He was particularly interested in LONACI’s best practices, which have helped boost revenue and sustain operations, and hopes to implement similar strategies at NLA.

Mr Coulibaly commended Mr Abdul-Salam’s commitment and described the engagement as a sign of the excellent partnership between the two lottery bodies.

He shared insights on tackling il­legal lottery operations and assured him of LONACI’s full support in his new role. Mr Abdul-Salam was also a special guest at a ceremony where LONACI received its WLA Level 2 Certification in Responsi­ble Gaming.

The certification, awarded by the World Lottery Association (WLA), is a recognition of LONACI’s efforts in promoting responsible gaming and maintaining high industry standards.

Speaking at the event, Mr Couli­baly stated that the certification proves LONACI’s commitment to responsible gaming and its dedica­tion to identifying areas that need improvement.

He noted that the recognition was an important milestone in en­suring a safer and more transparent lottery industry.

The certificate was presented by ALA Permanent Secretary, Mr Driss Hamdoune, who praised LONACI’s commitment to creat­ing a responsible gaming environ­ment.

He then urged them to continue their efforts as they work towards achieving Level 3 Certification. Mr Abdul-Salam congratulated LONACI on their achievement and wished them success in their journey towards the next level of certification. His visit ended on a positive note, with both parties reaffirming their commitment to collaboration and continuous im­provement in the lottery sector.