What is the real per-recipient economic value?

Program-specific (grants, training and financing under a ~US$600M+ multi-year envelope); individual amounts vary. Award minimum: not published. Dilution/equity: mixed debt, equity, quasi-equity and support.

Which jurisdictions and applicants are eligible?

Targets Nigerian youth aged 15–35 and digital-technology or creative enterprises; component-specific financing eligibility is not safely inferable from the overall program.

Digital or creative-sector fit in Nigeria; Youth employment and enterprise-growth potential; Fit to a specific implementation component rather than the headline $618m envelope

What burden or follow-on should I expect?

Component and financing-contract specific; the DICE funds include commercial capital, so this must not be treated as universally non-dilutive. Multiple skills, enterprise-support and finance components; no automatic follow-on for a participant.

iDICE — Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (Nigeria)

Program-specific (grants, training and financing under a ~US$600M+ multi-year envelope); individual amounts vary · Federal Government of Nigeria (with African Development Bank, Agence Française de Développement, Islamic Development Bank)

Nigerian government program (with AfDB, AFD and IsDB financing) to support digital and creative-economy enterprises through grants, training, incubation and financing for youth-led startups. Current status: unknown; Multi-year Nigerian public program in implementation; no universal founder application window or per-company grant amount is published. Award economics: Program-specific (grants, training and financing under a ~US$600M+ multi-year envelope); individual amounts vary; dilution/equity: mixed debt, equity, quasi-equity and support.

Tier 2 · ranked #8nigeriaafricagovernmentdigital

Apply Official site Open in the live directory

Key facts

Funder	Federal Government of Nigeria (with African Development Bank, Agence Française de Développement, Islamic Development Bank)
Amount	Program-specific (grants, training and financing under a ~US$600M+ multi-year envelope); individual amounts vary
Decision time	Delivery occurs through Bank of Industry and implementing partners/fund managers; founders must use a specific live component call.
Eligibility	Targets Nigerian youth aged 15–35 and digital-technology or creative enterprises; component-specific financing eligibility is not safely inferable from the overall program.
Restrictions	Component and financing-contract specific; the DICE funds include commercial capital, so this must not be treated as universally non-dilutive. Dilution/equity: mixed debt, equity, quasi-equity and support.
Status	unknown

Always confirm on the official page before applying — dates and terms change.

Application process

Identify a live iDICE skills, ESO, voucher or financing component
Use the program website enquiry/application route
Screening by BOI, implementing partner or appointed fund manager
Receive component-specific training, business development or financing

Background

Federal Government of Nigeria (with African Development Bank, Agence Française de Développement, Islamic Development Bank) operates iDICE — Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (Nigeria). The official-source pass separates the currently actionable opportunity from historical cohorts and separates per-recipient value from headline program envelopes. AfDB says the program targets 175,000 people, 451 digital startups, 226 creative enterprises and 75 support organizations.

How the application really works

Identify a live iDICE skills, ESO, voucher or financing component → Use the program website enquiry/application route → Screening by BOI, implementing partner or appointed fund manager → Receive component-specific training, business development or financing

Tips

Demonstrate: Digital or creative-sector fit in Nigeria
Demonstrate: Youth employment and enterprise-growth potential
Demonstrate: Fit to a specific implementation component rather than the headline $618m envelope

Watch out for

Current status is unknown; do not use an archived form.
Dilution/equity treatment: mixed debt, equity, quasi-equity and support.
Component and financing-contract specific; the DICE funds include commercial capital, so this must not be treated as universally non-dilutive.

Track record

AfDB says the program targets 175,000 people, 451 digital startups, 226 creative enterprises and 75 support organizations.

No founder-level acceptance rate; the headline beneficiary targets are program outputs, not awards currently available to one applicant.

Frequently asked questions

Is this opportunity actionable now?: unknown. Multi-year Nigerian public program in implementation; no universal founder application window or per-company grant amount is published.
What is the real per-recipient economic value?: Program-specific (grants, training and financing under a ~US$600M+ multi-year envelope); individual amounts vary. Award minimum: not published. Dilution/equity: mixed debt, equity, quasi-equity and support.
Which jurisdictions and applicants are eligible?: Targets Nigerian youth aged 15–35 and digital-technology or creative enterprises; component-specific financing eligibility is not safely inferable from the overall program.
How does selection work?: Identify a live iDICE skills, ESO, voucher or financing component; Use the program website enquiry/application route; Screening by BOI, implementing partner or appointed fund manager; Receive component-specific training, business development or financing. Delivery occurs through Bank of Industry and implementing partners/fund managers; founders must use a specific live component call.
What appears to win?: Digital or creative-sector fit in Nigeria; Youth employment and enterprise-growth potential; Fit to a specific implementation component rather than the headline $618m envelope
What burden or follow-on should I expect?: Component and financing-contract specific; the DICE funds include commercial capital, so this must not be treated as universally non-dilutive. Multiple skills, enterprise-support and finance components; no automatic follow-on for a participant.

Sources

www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/frequently-asked-questions-idice-project-59933 — Official program financing, scope, inquiry route and implementing partners (checked 2026-08-10)
www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/press-releases/african-development-bank-and-partners-invest-618-million-nigerias-digital-and-creative-industries-59766 — Official envelope and target outcomes (checked 2026-08-10)
www.afdb.org/en/documents/eoi-nigeria-domestication-startup-act-states-idice-programme — Official evidence the program remained in implementation in June 2026 (checked 2026-08-10)