Request for Expressions of Interest Consultancy Services for Development of an Enterprise Support Organisation Training Program and Training Activity under the Creative Enterprise Support Organisation Program (CESOP)

Technology and Creative Sector

Financing Agreement reference: 2000200005160

Project ID No.: P-NG-K00-009

Background

The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has received financing from the African Development Bank (AfDB), Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) towards the implementation of the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) Programme. The objective of the iDICE Programme is to promote entrepreneurship, boost innovation, create jobs, enhance social development, and achieve economic transformation by fostering growth in the digital technology and creative ecosystem, building on brownfield investments and synergies with ongoing initiatives in Nigeria.

As part of implementation arrangements, the iDICE Programme Coordination Unit (PCU) within the Bank of Industry (BOI) – the Executing Agency for the Programme appointed by the FGN – is seeking to engage the services of a consultant for the Development of an Enterprise Support Organization Training Program and Training Activity under the Creative Enterprise Support Organization Program (CESOP).

The CESOP consists of 4 key programs:

Hackathon and Creative Competitions
Startup Voucher Program

III. Startup Incubation Program

Enterprise Support Organization Training Program.

The program will be conducted across all 6 Geo-Political Zones, with multiple vendors participating in the execution of the Hackathons and Creative Competitions Program, each covering a maximum of 2 zones.

Objective

The main objective of this assignment is to develop a comprehensive ESO Training Program, with the following goals:

Identify key weaknesses and ascertain gaps in services offered in enterprise support structures within the creative sectors in each of Nigeria’s 6 Geo-Political Zones.
Select promising ESOs for placement in the training program through a review process considering the following factors: (i) Unique competencies, (ii) Prior track records, (iii) Operational Capabilities, (iv) Client Testimonials (if any), and finally (v) Management Team and Vision.
Design a program that develops the capacity of the selected ESOs. The program must include: (i) Capacity Building Sessions and Workshops, (ii) Direct one on one Needs Analysis sessions for each ESO, (iv) Monitoring and Evaluation programs through a Test-Phase period in which ESOs implement support services for their sector.
Plan, Direct, and Organize the implementation of the ESO Training Program on behalf of the FMACT&CE.

Scope of Work

The consultant shall perform the following services:

Needs Assessment and ESO Selection
Conduct a comprehensive sectoral review uncovering key weaknesses in the support structures as well as service gaps in offerings by existing ESOs within the creative economy.
Isolate specific service areas (e.g., funding, mentorship, capacity building) that ESOs can strengthen in creative enterprises.
ESO Review and Selection:
Invite ESOs to submit proposals demonstrating their unique competencies, track records, operational capacity, and vision
Evaluate applications against predefined criteria, including testimonials, team strength, and unique competencies and service offerings.

Finalize the selection of ESOs for the training program.

ESO Training Program Outlining, Design, and Development
Create a modular training curriculum focused on governance, financial sustainability, sector-specific expertise, and innovation.
Develop interactive training methods, such as workshops, case studies, and peer learning.
Define the sequence and duration of capacity-building sessions, needs analysis, test phases, and evaluations.
Establish monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks to track ESO progress and program impact.
Develop a system for spot checks and independent quality assurance to validate reported results.

Develop the capacity of selected ESOs and address their specific needs
Hold Capacity Building Workshops training ESOs on governance, financial models, and program innovation.
Provide sector and sub-sector specific insights tailored to creative industries (e.g., intellectual property, digital marketing).
One-on-One Needs Analysis: Conduct individual sessions with ESOs to develop organization specific, curated development plans.

Test-Phase Implementation and Monitoring
Pilot Program Rollout: ESOs implement their improved programs for creative enterprises, testing real-world applicability.
Track performance against KPIs and collect feedback from stakeholders.
Provide periodic support and refine interventions based on observed outcomes.

The Bank of Industry (BOI) now invites eligible consultants/Firms to indicate interest in providing these services by submitting their expressions of interest, demonstrating experience in performing similar assignments with references and showing responsiveness to the qualifications requirements outlined in this RFEOI.

Minimum Qualification, Skills and Experience

Proven expertise in Incubator and Accelerator Programs.
Experience with capacity-building and training programs, particularly in job creation or workforce development contexts. Familiarity with Nigeria’s creative and cultural industries.
Strong understanding of logistical planning, operational management, data collection, skill development, and processes.
Demonstrated ability to integrate M&E systems into broader program frameworks.

Legal & Compliance Requirements

The following requirements are applicable to companies/firms that are submitting EOI either as a single firm or a consortium of firms from Nigeria. For a consortium of firms or single firms domiciled in Nigeria, the lead firm MUST provide the following documents:

Evidence of legal registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in line with the requisite CAMA Act. 2020, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
Submission of Memorandum and Articles from CAC07 (i.e. Particulars of Board of Directors) and Form CAC02 (i.e. Particulars of Shareholders).
Affidavit indicating that all documents submitted are genuine and verifiable.

Financial and Tax Requirements

Confirmation of financial capacity of the company (3 years audited statement of accounts and financial summary).
Evidence of VAT Registration and Company Tax Clearance Certificates for the last 3 years.

Firms that are registered outside Nigeria shall submit relevant legal and compliance documents as applicable to their countries of jurisdiction.

Submission of EOIs

Expressions of Interest should be structured as follows:

Details / organizational profile of the firm or consortium detailing the firm’s strengths, expertise and any relevant information (max. 3 pages)
Experience in similar assignments (max. 7 pages)
CVs of key staff members (max. 7 pages)
Any additional document(s) or information the firm believes is relevant

EOI submissions should not exceed 25 pages, excluding documents to be submitted as detailed under the Legal & Compliance and Financial & Tax Requirements above.

The eligibility criteria, the establishment of a shortlist and the selection procedure shall be in accordance with the African Development Bank’s “Procurement Policy for Bank Group Funded Operations” October 2015, which is available on the AFDB’s website at http://www.afdb.org . Please note that interest expressed by an organization does not imply any obligation on the part of the Bank to include it in the shortlist.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours, i.e. from 8 AM to 5 PM on working days.

Deadline for Submission of EOIs

Expressions of interest MUST be delivered in hard and soft (in a USB flash drive) copies to the address below no later than 11^th June, 2025 at 3pm and specifically mention “[EXPRESSION OF INTEREST: CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ENTERPRISE SUPPORT ORGANIZATION TRAINING PROGRAM AND TRAINING ACTIVITY UNDER THE INVESTMENT IN DIGITAL AND CREATIVE ENTERPRISE (iDICE) PROGRAMME].

For the Terms of Reference (TOR) for this Expression of Interest, please visit www.boi.ng/idicetor.

Attn.

The iDICE Programme Coordination Unit

Bank of Industry

23, Marina, Lagos

E-mail: [email protected] (for enquiries only)

Tel: 0700 225 5264 (0700 CALL BOI)