Breaking the Odds: The Rise of Women in Nigeria's Sports Betting Industry

In recent years, Nigeria's sports betting industry has experienced exponential growth, becoming a multi-billion dollar sector. However, like many tech and finance-related industries, it remains largely male-dominated.

In this article, SportsBoom explores the  increasing participation and influence of women in this booming market, uncovering a narrative that's rarely told but increasingly significant.

When looking at the ‘most valuable players’ in the Nigerian I-gaming industry, it’s largely impossible overlook the renowned Olabimpe Akingba, who not only bagged the award for the most influential woman in gaming 2022, but remains on the list of the top 50 most influential women in i-gaming till date.

Even though she doesn't view the i-gaming industry as an exception when it comes to male domination. Her mantra is ‘put in as much effort as my male counterparts and build a supportive  ecosystem around my family.’ This outlook has contributed significantly to her empathetic leadership style.

The question is could the rise of women in sports betting  potentially change the industry's marketing strategies and target demographics? Akingba certainly thinks so.

She is confident that having more women in leadership positions in the i-gaming companies, would not only foster inclusion and diversity, but could attract more female punters and customers. She also deems the general perception of women being emotionally- driven as an advantage that could enhance and promote responsible gaming.

Akingba is thrilled with the intentionality which has been displayed by betting operators in recent times when it comes to including more women in advertisements and the i-gaming workforce, as opposed to what was the case a decade ago.

The negative perception of i-gaming

Most  African religions and cultures frown upon sports betting particularly the older generations or generation X who tend to view the industry through a ‘get rich quick scheme’ lens;  generation Y appears to be more open-minded, while according to Akingba, generation Z views the i-gaming industry from an ‘entertainment perspective.’

She thinks a shift from the negative perception is possible if there is an increased awareness of the immense contribution which the industry makes to the society:

‘’The regulators at the federal and state levels do a lot to promote societal causes with the tax remitted from the sports betting industry including security support and healthcare. If more light is shone upon gestures like this, it could significantly help reshape the negative perception,” Akingba told betting news site SportsBoom.com.

Speaking of impact, Akingba also thinks that if there is an inclusion of women in leadership roles in the i-gaming industry, it will have a profound effect on the nature of corporate social responsibility initiatives which i-gaming companies engage in:

“Having more women in leadership roles is crucial in terms of how it can translate to CSR, due to our natural wiring, we could push for causes that are more humane in nature and move towards causes that are not necessarily related to sports. The men are doing a great job, but if more women are given leadership roles, I think that’s where the shift will happen.”

The gift and curse of being a woman in the i-gaming industry

The i-gaming industry has been a significant vehicle for women’s empowerment through the employment of more women in the retail space to take up positions like agents and other roles in various sports betting companies.

Akingba is impressed with the level of inclusion of women being displayed by the industry in recent times, as opposed to what was the case a decade ago.

Being a part of the industry has also afforded her numerous opportunities like wearing the ambassadorial hat for the ‘Women in Gaming- the Africa Chapter’, which launched a few months ago and boasts of 350 female members. Akingba explains that the peculiar challenge of data in Nigeria does not allow for the accurate reflection of the number of women in the industry.

In spite of this, she insists that the significant level of female inclusion in the industry through employment, cannot be refuted.

Like numerous industries, the sports betting industry comes with its fair share of challenges, especially for women who go through monthly challenges and difficult choices at various stages of their lives.

Akingba recalls her first time as a mother, which was accompanied with health challenges that necessitated having to put in a request with her employer to work from home: 

“That decision affected me negatively, I was delighted to have a child, but didn't want to lose my job. I would've liked to have both and I would have loved to have been extended more empathy. But, if you view it from a different perspective, the company is not running a charity organization.  However, I don't apologize for being a woman and I’m delighted that more companies are now open to remote work, post COVID.”

Akingba also condemns work environments that enable sexual harassment and normalize sexual innuendos. She states that women who refuse such advances should have their decisions respected and not have to walk on eggshells when they are around such bosses who might choose to make the work environment hostile after such advances are rejected.

The future of women in the sports betting industry

When it comes to the alignment of the i-gaming industry to support women’s sports locally and globally, Akingba is of the opinion that the same intentionality which i-gaming operators put into male sports needs to be channeled in the direction of female sports even if male sports tend to be more popular with their customers.

Akingba is hopeful that the next decade will usher in more women in leadership positions in the i-gaming industry, which would significantly place women in strategic positions to be decision makers. This gesture will boost inclusivity and boost the growth of the industry, as opposed to deterring it.  She also foresees a rapid improvement in technology which would translate to more  innovative products and tools.