Cohort: iDICE Startup Bridge Admits 185 Founders – THISDAYLIVE

Nume Ekeghe

The federal government’s Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) programme has onboarded 185 founders into the inaugural cohort of its Startup Bridge initiative, marking an early milestone in the rollout of the $617 million programme aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital and creative economy.

The selected founders will join the Founders Lab, one of two tracks under the Startup Bridge designed to support early-stage and growth-stage startups. The cohort was drawn from a competitive pool of over 7,000 applications received after the portal opened in March 2026.

Launched in 2023, iDICE is a federal government initiative co-financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB), Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), with the Bank of Industry sethe rving as executing agency.

Beyond startup funding, the programme targets broader ecosystem development, including 66 innovation hubs nationwide and the training of up to 300,000 young Nigerians in digital and creative skills.

From the initial applications, 500 candidates were shortlisted before 185 founders were selected based on innovation potential, market relevance, and execution capacity, formally launching the first cohort of the Startup Bridge Founders Lab.

On the significance of the initiative, the programme’s Steering Committee Chairman, Vice President Kashim Shettima, in a statemen,t said: “By unlocking the creative and digital potential of our youths, the federal government is investing in sectors that will define Nigeria’s future economy. Programmes like iDICE are creating pathways for young innovators to build globally competitive businesses from Nigeria.”

The selected cohort was intentionally designed to reflect national inclusion, as Founders were selected from across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, extending participation beyond established startup ecosystems such as Lagos and Abuja. Women entrepreneurs account for 38 per cent of the cohort, surpassing the programme’s 30 per cent gender inclusion target.

Commenting on the onboarding of the cohort, the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry (BoI), Dr. Olasupo Olusi, described the initiative as an important investment in Nigeria’s next generation of entrepreneurs.

He went on to say that these founders represent the ambition, creativity, and resilience of a new generation of Nigerian innovators. “Through iDICE, we are helping to build a stronger pipeline of scalable businesses that can create jobs, attract investment, and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic transformation,” he stated.

The programme’s National Coordinator, Ife Adebayo, expressed optimism that Nigeria’s next set of globally impactful startups would be incubated through the process, as the selected founders will now undergo a 12-week intensive programme focused on mentorship, operational strengthening, business development, and investment preparedness. Top-performing participants will also be eligible for grants of up to N10 million to help accelerate their ventures.

Applications for the Growth Lab track are expected to open in the coming weeks.

As implementation of the wider iDICE programme continues, additional interventions are expected across infrastructure development, creative sector support, enterprise financing, and digital skills expansion — all aimed at positioning Nigeria as a leading force in Africa’s digital and creative economy.