The Federal Government has inaugurated a technical committee to initiate the Digital and Creative Enterprises (I-DICE) program.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima led the inauguration of the technical committee on Wednesday in Abuja, heralding what he described as the commencement of a new era in the country.
The I-DICE program is a collaborative venture between the government and international partners, including the Bank of Industry (BoI), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the French Development Agency (FDA), and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB). It aims to support and empower enterprises in the digital and creative sectors.
Following the endorsement by the National Economic Council (NEC) on March 21, the $617.7 million i-DICE program is set to be implemented across the 36 states of the federation and Abuja.
Addressing the inauguration of the technical committee, the Vice President expressed confidence in the initiative’s ability to reshape the nation’s digital and creative landscape. “We are embarking on a path of innovation, collaboration, and limitless opportunities – a path that has the potential to reshape the course of our country’s digital and creative environment,” Shettima remarked.
Furthermore, he disclosed that the Ministry of Finance has been tasked with ensuring prompt disbursement of funds for the i-DICE program, facilitating its swift execution.
Tope Kolade, Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters (Office of the Vice President) and Chairman of the technical committee on the i-DICE program, emphasized the significant financial backing, underscoring the programmer’s potential to drive transformative change in Nigeria’s digital and creative sectors.
The i-DICE program is projected to generate 100,000 jobs per state and create 5.5 million indirect jobs nationwide.