Nigeria’s ambitious $617 million Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) programme has selected 185 startup founders for the inaugural cohort of its Founders Lab, marking a significant milestone in the Federal Government’s effort to build a stronger innovation-driven economy.
The founders were selected after a rigorous application process that attracted over 7,000 completed applications from entrepreneurs across the country, underscoring the growing demand for startup support and innovation funding in Nigeria.
The iDICE programme, launched in 2023, is a flagship initiative of the federal government aimed at accelerating digital innovation, youth entrepreneurship, and economic diversification. The programme is jointly financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB), Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), while the Bank of Industry (BoI) serves as both executing agency and financier.
The selection of the 185 founders forms part of the iDICE Startup Bridge initiative, a founder-support platform designed to help entrepreneurs build scalable businesses. Startup Bridge operates through two tracks: the Founders Lab, which targets early-stage innovators, and the Growth Lab, designed for startups that have already developed products and gained market traction.
