FCT MOVES TO BOOST PARTICIPATION IN I-DICE PROGRAMME AS REGISTRATION HITS 4,000

By: Emmanuel Tortiv

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Focal Unit of the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (i-DICE) Programme has intensified efforts to expand the Territory’s participation in the initiative, following the registration of 4,000 prospective beneficiaries out of more than 37,000 registrations recorded across the North-Central Region.

The FCT is targeting between 8,000 and 10,000 registrations, while the North-Central Region has an overall target of 50,000 young people.

Speaking at a one-day stakeholders’ meeting held at the Auditorium of the Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA), Abuja, the FCT Focal Person for i-DICE and AEA’s Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Chudi Ugwuada-Ezirigwe, said Nigeria’s major unemployment challenge was not a shortage of talent or innovative ideas, but the need to build an ecosystem capable of transforming innovation into thriving enterprises and sustainable employment opportunities.

He described the i-DICE Programme as a significant opportunity for enterprise development, skills enhancement, access to finance and strategic collaboration, noting that it provides a platform for unlocking the economic potential of Nigeria’s digital and creative sectors.

Explaining AEA’s responsibilities and his mandate as the Programme’s FCT Focal Person, Dr. Ugwuada-Ezirigwe said the stakeholders’ meeting was convened to mobilise relevant partners, strengthen collaboration and facilitate opportunities that would translate the initiative into tangible economic benefits for young people in the Territory.

He also commended the FCT Minister,HE Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, Esq., for creating an enabling business environment through massive infrastructural interventions, which he said were contributing to the growth of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector in the FCT.

In a detailed presentation on the i-DICE Programme, its objectives and opportunities for MSMEs in the FCT, a Programme Associate of Tech4Dev, an i-DICE consultant, said the initiative was designed to develop a globally competitive pool of Nigerian talents capable of providing world-class services to international brands without having to relocate abroad.

He observed that Nigeria has one of the strongest pools of talents globally, as demonstrated by the outstanding performance of Nigerian youths in various professional fields across the world.

According to him, the Programme seeks to create an environment where Nigerian talents can remain in the country while delivering services that meet international standards.

“Where our talents no longer have to travel out of the country to work, they can stay in the country and still deliver jobs that meet global standards. That’s the essence of this programme,” he said.

He further explained that the Hire from Nigeria initiative, which was launched to promote job linkages, had generated international conversations, including engagements at the recently concluded United Nations General Assembly.

He said the objective was to encourage global organisations to recruit Nigerian professionals working within the country, drawing comparisons with countries such as the Philippines and India, which have established strong positions in the global outsourcing and business services market.

The Programme Associate commended the Federal Government for providing the enabling environment and infrastructure necessary to support the growth of the digital and creative industries.

In their separate remarks, Mrs. Jumai Kwache, who represented the Director of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Department of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and Rotarian Bibby Kala-Kala, Director-General of the Ugwumba Leadership Center, commended AEA and the FCT Focal Person for convening the stakeholders’ meeting.

They pledged to brief their respective principals on the initiative and facilitate linkages with young people who could benefit from the Programme.

The i-DICE Programme is a $618 million initiative co-financed by the Federal Government of Nigeria and international development partners. It is anchored by the Office of the Vice President and implemented through the Bank of Industry (BOI), African Development Bank (AfDB), Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and other private-sector partners.

The Programme targets 300,000 Nigerian youths between the ages of 15 and 35 who are working or building businesses in the technology and creative industries.

Its core objectives include equipping young people with digital, creative and business process outsourcing (BPO) skills, while expanding access to venture capital, equity financing and other funding opportunities for start-ups and MSMEs.

Interested applicants can register free of charge through www.idicestartupbridge.ng.