President Bola Tinubu has reiterated the Federal government’s commitment to the digital economy through a $620 million cash injection into the Digital Economy and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) program.
He said, “We have secured $620million under the Digital and Creative Enterprises (IDICE) a programme to empower our young people, creating millions of IT and technical jobs that will make them globally competitive,” in a live broadcast on Sunday in the wake of the #EndBadGovernance Protests which have been on since the 1st of August in various parts of the country.
The iDICE Programme is a collaborative effort between the government and international partners, including the Bank of Industry (BoI), African Development Bank (AfDB), French Development Agency (FDA) and Islamic
Development Bank (IDB), to nurture and empower enterprises in the digital and creative sectors.
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According to Tinubu, the initiative is part of a broader strategy to develop the digital economy and provide sustainable employment opportunities for the country’s burgeoning youth population.
The iDICE program is designed to nurture digital talent and entrepreneurial spirit among young Nigerians, providing them with the necessary skills and resources to thrive in a competitive global market,” the government has said.
A key component of iDICE is the 3 Million Technical Talent Scheme (3MTT), which aims to provide training and job opportunities to three million young Nigerians in the IT and technical sectors. This program
seeks to bridge the gap between education and employment by equipping young Nigerians with the skills needed to thrive in a competitive global market. Despite a recent vandalisation of the Innovation Park in Kano during the protests, the government has said that it remains committed to the successful implementation of the 3MTT scheme.
In addition to the iDICE investment, the President announced several other initiatives to bolster the nation’s economy and improve its citizens’ quality of life. These include the release of an additional 50 billion Naira for the student loan and credit corporation, the establishment of the consumer credit corporation with over 200 billion
Naira, and the introduction of various skill development programs such as the Nigerian Youth Academy (NIYA), the National Youth Talent Export Program (NATEP) and the Skill-Up Artisans Programme (SUPA).
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