The Federal Government of Nigeria has taken a significant step towards boosting its digital and creative economy by inaugurating a technical committee to kick off the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) program.
The multi-stakeholder technical committee will oversee the implementation of iDICE, which aims to promote investing in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Creative Industries.
The program is part of the government’s efforts to “build back better, greener, and more inclusively,” supporting the agenda to create more sustainable jobs during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vice President Kashim Shettima hailed this development as “dawn a new era in Nigeria.”
“The Federal Government has inaugurated a technical committee to kick off the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) Programme, with Vice President Kashim Shettima hailing the development as the dawn of a new era in Nigeria,” said the presidency.
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) and the African Development Bank have partnered with Nigeria to mainstream climate adaptation and resilience into the iDICE initiative through the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP).
The committee will work closely with the GCA and AfDB to integrate climate risk assessments, adaptation planning, and green financing mechanisms into iDICE’s framework. This collaboration aims to ensure Nigeria’s digital and creative enterprises are resilient to the impacts of climate change.
Nigeria has witnessed a surge in tech startups and creative industries in recent years. However, these sectors face challenges including limited access to funding, supportive ecosystems, and climate resilience planning.
Through iDICE, backed by global climate adaptation expertise, the government aims to address these hurdles and unlock the full potential of digital and creative enterprises to drive sustainable economic growth, job creation, and environmental resilience.
Further details on the climate adaptation components within iDICE are expected as the technical committee, GCA, and AfDB collaboratively finalize the implementation strategy in the coming weeks.
