{"id":11412,"date":"2026-06-11T04:41:37","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T04:41:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/villpress.com\/?p=11412"},"modified":"2026-06-11T04:41:55","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T04:41:55","slug":"women-account-for-38-of-fg-backed-startup-founders-in-landmark-digital-economy-programme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/villpress.com\/cs\/women-account-for-38-of-fg-backed-startup-founders-in-landmark-digital-economy-programme\/","title":{"rendered":"Women account for 38% of FG-backed startup founders in landmark digital economy programme"},"content":{"rendered":"

Women make up 38 percent of the 185 founders selected for the Federal Government\u2019s Startup Bridge Founders Lab, surpassing the programme\u2019s inclusion target and marking one of the strongest female representations in a federally backed innovation initiative in Nigeria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The selection is part of the first cohort under the $617 million Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises<\/a> (iDICE) programme, a flagship intervention designed to expand Nigeria\u2019s digital economy through startup funding, skills development, and innovation infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Programme officials say the result reflects a deliberate effort to improve gender inclusion in a sector that has historically been dominated by male founders, particularly in early-stage technology ventures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Startup Bridge initiative received more than 7,000 applications nationwide, with 185 founders ultimately selected after a multi-stage evaluation process. The cohort will undergo a 12-week accelerator programme focused on mentorship, business development, and investment readiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the broader iDICE programme aims to support youth entrepreneurship and digital skills development across Nigeria, the gender composition of the first cohort has emerged as a key indicator of progress toward more inclusive participation in the country\u2019s innovation ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 38 percent female representation exceeds the programme\u2019s stated target of 30 percent, suggesting stronger-than-expected participation from women entrepreneurs in the competitive selection process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Analysts note that female founders in Nigeria continue to face structural challenges, including limited access to early-stage funding, lower representation in technical fields, and reduced visibility within venture capital networks. Against this backdrop, the outcome of the Startup Bridge selection is being viewed as a positive signal for gender inclusion in public-sector innovation programmes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The iDICE programme, backed by the Federal Government alongside the African Development Bank, the Agence Fran\u00e7aise de D\u00e9veloppement, and the Islamic Development Bank, is one of the country\u2019s largest coordinated efforts to expand access to startup capital and innovation infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It also includes plans to establish innovation hubs across Nigeria and train hundreds of thousands of young people in digital and creative skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond the funding and training components, stakeholders say the programme\u2019s inclusion metrics will be closely watched as a measure of whether government-backed interventions can meaningfully broaden participation in Nigeria\u2019s fast-growing tech ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the names and sectors of the selected founders have not yet been publicly disclosed, the gender breakdown of the cohort has already positioned the programme as a reference point for inclusion in national innovation policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some key highlight<\/h3>\n\n\n\n