Nigeria bets on grassroots innovation as iDICE Startup Bridge targets founders across 36 states

Nigeria’s federal government is betting on grassroots innovation to expand the country’s startup ecosystem, launching a new programme designed to support entrepreneurs in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory with grants, mentorship and access to investment capital.

The initiative, known as the iDICE Startup Bridge, will provide grants of up to N10 million ($7,215) for idea-stage founders and $100,000 in equity investment for startups that already have working products and early market traction.

The programme operates under the broader Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) initiative, a federal government project designed to accelerate growth in Nigeria’s digital and creative sectors.

Implemented through the Bank of Industry and financed by the African Development Bank, Agence Française de Développement and the Islamic Development Bank, the programme reflects a growing policy effort to widen Nigeria’s innovation pipeline beyond traditional technology hubs such as Lagos and Abuja, where most venture funding has historically been concentrated.

Officials say the initiative is one of the most structured attempts by the federal government in recent years to develop early-stage entrepreneurs nationwide and strengthen the pipeline of startups emerging from outside established tech clusters.

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The first pathway under the initiative, called Founders Lab, opened for applications on March 16. It is a 12-week capacity-building programme designed to help idea-stage founders validate concepts, develop business models and build minimum viable products.

Each year, the programme will train 250 participants through mentorship and structured learning delivered by expert facilitators. From that group, the top 100 founders who meet programme milestones will receive grants of up to N10 million to support product development or the launch of their ventures.

The second pathway, known as Growth Lab, will launch in a later phase and will focus on startups that have already built minimum viable products and demonstrated early traction.

Selected companies will receive $100,000 in equity investment along with support to scale operations, strengthen governance and refine fundraising strategies.

The programme will also create a pipeline to institutional investors and may provide match funding for startups that secure additional capital from qualified external investors.

Launched in 2023 with $617.7 million in funding, the iDICE initiative is one of Nigeria’s largest government-backed programmes aimed at boosting investment in the digital economy. It made its first startup investment in late 2025 through Ventures Platform, a seed-stage venture capital firm active across the continent.

Kashim Shettima, Nigeria’s Vice President, who chairs the iDICE Steering Committee, said the programme is designed to give entrepreneurs across the country a stronger pathway to build and scale businesses.

“This programme, created under the iDICE umbrella, gives young entrepreneurs across the country a real opportunity to build or scale,” he said, adding that it could reshape early-stage enterprise development and innovation outcomes over time.

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For the Bank of Industry, the initiative builds on its broader financing activities across Nigerian industries.

The bank said it disbursed N636 billion to enterprises across multiple sectors in its latest financial year, its largest annual disbursement to date. Of that amount, N43 billion went to projects in the digital and creative sectors.

Olasupo Olusi, managing director and chief executive officer, said the institution hopes to replicate that success through the startup programme.

“We are happy to replicate our success over time with the iDICE Startup Bridge as well,” he said.

Applications for the Founders Lab close on April 20, with participants selected through a merit-based evaluation process aligned with published criteria.