TheCable

President Bola Tinubu is set to launch a $617.7 million investment through the digital and creative enterprises (i-DICE) programme.

The i-DICE is a federal government programme aimed at promoting investment in information and communications technology (ICT) and creative industries, as part of efforts to build better, inclusive and sustainable jobs.

On Friday, Vice President Kashim Shettima, representing the president, tasked members of the i-DICE steering committee to ensure that the programme starts before the end of November this year.

“The peculiarity of the challenges we face in the country demands that we have to create jobs for our teeming youths to address the crises associated with youth unemployment,” Shettima said.

“I want to appeal to all of us here to unite and see that this programme takes off latest by the end of November this year.

“I am interested in getting a weekly update on what is being done to kick-start this programme.

“We also need to spread out to cover the whole country so that there is inclusivity. If we judiciously utilise these funds, the target impact and anticipated benefits will be immense.

“I want to assure the technical committee, all those working on this programme and our international partners, that you will get all the support that you will need. We mean business.

“My boss, President Bola Tinubu, is passionate about the transformation of this country. So, you have nothing to worry about the government’s support.”

On his part, Wale Edun, the minister of finance,  said the project would “go a long way to achieving the president’s priorities on job creation and economic growth”.

Bosun Tijani, the minister of communications, innovation and digital economy, said the investment would strengthen Nigeria’s market and build solutions in the technology sector of the country.

“So, the government is putting its skin in the game to say ‘we want to support; we want to see more local confidence building’. And there’s no other way to show that than by putting money in some of the startups,” he said.

“The Nigerian technology and creative ecosystem has been doing well and is the best on the continent. We actually want to be a leader globally.

“And there’s no other way to do that than investing in the technology startups that are building these solutions.”