Olabimpe Akingba is a Nigerian lawyer with more than a decade in Nigerian sports betting. From 2020 to 2024, she ran the secretariat of the ANB, Nigeria’s main bookmakers’ group. Today, she leads the safe play team at pawaTech, which owns betPawa.
Who Is Olabimpe Akingba?
Olabimpe Akingba is a top voice on betting rules and player safety in Nigeria. She trained as a lawyer and then built her career inside betting companies. As a result, she knows the industry from both the legal side and the operator side.
She speaks at events like the Africa Gaming Expo and the iGaming AFRIKA Summit.
Olabimpe Akingba’s Legal Career and Operator Roles
Olabimpe Akingba began her legal career in 2011 as an intern at the law firm of Afe Babalola. She then joined Brainfield Law Chambers as an associate in 2013. In 2014, she moved into gaming as a legal adviser at Afric-Nigeria Sports Affairs, the firm behind Betcolony.
From late 2014 to early 2018, she managed the legal side of Winners Bookmakers Nigeria (1960Bet). Next, she spent a short time as a senior lawyer at WYS Solicitors. In 2019, Alvac brought her in to manage its legal and regulatory matters.
That hands-on work with licensing and regulators later shaped how she spoke for the whole industry.
| Year | Milestone |
| 2011 | Legal intern, Afe Babalola law firm |
| 2013 | Associate, Brainfield Law Chambers |
| 2014 | Legal adviser, Afric-Nigeria Sports Affairs (Betcolony) |
| 2014-2018 | Compliance and legal manager, Winners Bookmakers Nigeria (1960Bet) |
| 2019 | Compliance and legal manager, Alvac |
| 2020-2024 | Executive Secretary, ANB |
| 2024-present | Joins pawaTech, later leads responsible gaming |
Olabimpe Akingba at the Association of Nigerian Bookmakers
Olabimpe Akingba took charge of the ANB secretariat in January 2020. The group speaks for licensed betting firms across Nigeria. She spoke for operators in talks with regulators, lawmakers, and the media.
In 2022, the ANB teamed up with Gamble Alert on an awareness drive. The campaign visited schools to talk with students about the warning signs of gambling addiction.
Her record also includes ANB-PAC, an ANB campaign for clearer, simpler betting rules in Nigeria. Her advocacy earned her a spot on the 2023 Global Gaming Awards shortlist for top executive.
She left the ANB in February 2024.
Olabimpe Akingba’s Responsible Gaming Work at pawaTech
Olabimpe Akingba joined pawaTech, the parent firm of betPawa, in February 2024. Her first role covered growth and rules across Africa. She now runs the company’s responsible gaming team.
At Enugu’s gaming conference in 2025, she outlined betPawa’s player safety measures. These include mental health clinic partners and safer play education. She also pointed to self-exclusion programs and tests that help players check their own habits.
She also backs yearly safer play training for betPawa’s support staff across Africa. She says firms, regulators, and health groups should work together instead of trading blame.
Her ideas match the basics of responsible gambling that US states also promote. Most licensed US sites offer similar player protection tools, such as deposit limits and time-outs.
Nigeria vs US Betting Rules: Why Her Work Matters Here
Nigeria and the US now regulate betting in a similar way. In both countries, states now hold most of the regulatory power. So Olabimpe Akingba’s work offers useful lessons for anyone tracking US gambling laws.
In November 2024, Nigeria’s top court threw out the National Lottery Act of 2005. The ruling gave states control over lotteries and games of chance, though online betting rules remain unsettled. Similarly, the US Supreme Court struck down PASPA in 2018, which opened the door to state-legal sports betting.
| Feature | Nigeria | United States |
| Who sets the rules | State governments (the national act still covers Abuja) | State governments and gaming commissions |
| Key court ruling | Supreme Court voids the National Lottery Act (Nov 2024) | Supreme Court strikes down PASPA (May 2018) |
| Main operator trade group | Association of Nigerian Bookmakers | American Gaming Association |
| Example player tools | Self-exclusion, habit self-checks, safer play education | Self-exclusion lists, deposit limits, time-outs |
For US bettors, safety rules change from state to state, so protections depend on where you live. Our reviews of licensed US sportsbooks show which operators offer strong safety tools.
The Bottom Line On Olabimpe Akingba
Olabimpe Akingba has spent over ten years in Nigerian betting. She moved from legal work to industry voice to player safety. Her path mirrors a wider shift, where safer play now sits beside growth on the agenda.
Like Sara Slane’s career in US gaming policy, her story shows how one advocate can shape a market. Watch her conference talks and pawaTech’s safer play programs for her next moves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Olabimpe Akingba?
Olabimpe Akingba is a Nigerian lawyer and betting industry leader. She ran the ANB secretariat from 2020 to 2024. She now works at pawaTech, where she leads responsible gaming for the betPawa brand.
What does Olabimpe Akingba do at pawaTech?
She heads the company’s responsible gaming program. Her work includes staff training, mental health tie-ups, and player tools like self-exclusion and habit checks.
What did Olabimpe Akingba do at the ANB?
She ran the ANB office and spoke for betting firms in talks with officials and lawmakers. She backed a 2022 school campaign on problem gambling with Gamble Alert.
What awards has Olabimpe Akingba been nominated for?
She made the 2023 Global Gaming Awards shortlist in the executive category. In 2026, iGaming AFRIKA also named her a finalist for its top individual award for women. Women in Gaming Africa founder Lois Bright won it.
Why does Olabimpe Akingba’s work matter to US players?
She built her career in a market where states now set most gambling rules, just like the US. Nigeria’s 2024 Supreme Court ruling moved lottery and gaming control to the states. The US followed a similar path, so rules like the legal gambling age by state vary widely.
