iDICE Startup to support 500+ Tech Entrepreneurs with Structured Training
Kayode Tokede
The iDICE Startup Bridge Programme has officially launched, introducing a structured pathway designed to support aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage founders across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to move from idea to validation, and from early traction to scale.
The iDICE Startup Bridge operates under the broader Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) Programme, an initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria implemented through the Bank of Industry (BOI) and financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB), Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).
Commenting on the broader vision behind the programme and its strategic significance, Vice President Kashim Shettima, who is the Chairman of the iDICE Steering Committee, noted that; “iDICE (Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises) was created to unlock sustainable jobs and economic inclusion for Nigeria’s youthful population.”
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of Industry, Dr. Olasupo Olusi, reaffirmed BOI’s role in strengthening the country’s innovation pipeline.
“As the implementing agency of the iDICE Programme, the Bank of Industry is proud to support the iDICE Startup Bridge through which we are creating clear pathways for ideas to become enterprises, and enterprises to become engines of growth. In 2025, we achieved a record total disbursement of N636 billion to enterprises across various sectors in Nigeria, marking the largest annual disbursement in the bank’s history and reinforcing our position as the nation’s leading development finance institution for industrial and enterprise growth,” he said.
Speaking on the programme’s intent and outcomes, Head of Founders Lab, iDICE Startup Bridge, Cindy Ezerioha, highlighted the programme’s structured approach:
“Founders Lab is a bridge that connects potential to proof, and proof to capital. Each cohort will support 125 aspiring entrepreneurs, with a clear target of ensuring progress from concept to validated business models. This programme is built for people with innovative ideas, early prototypes, or unanswered questions about how to take their first real step.”
