iDICE Named Official Deal Room Partner for Afreximbank’s CANEX WKND 2026

The Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) Programme, a US$617 million initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria implemented by the Bank of Industry (BOI), will take part in Afreximbank’s Creative Africa Nexus Weekend (CANEX WKND 2026) as one of the event’s official Deal Room Partner.

The US$617 million programme is implemented by the Bank of Industry (BOI), which also co-finances it alongside the African Development Bank (AfDB), Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB). It backs young Nigerians aged 15–35 and the businesses they build in the technology and creative sectors through skills development, enterprise support, access to finance and enabling infrastructure.

CANEX WKND 2026 holds from 5 to 8 November 2026 in Lagos under the theme “One People, United in Culture, Creating for the World,” bringing together creatives, investors, financial institutions, policymakers and development partners from across Africa and the diaspora.

At the heart of iDICE’s participation is the iDICE Deal Room, which will host structured meetings between 15–20 investment-ready creative and digital enterprises and investors and financiers, including iDICE-backed fund managers Ventures Platform and Kuramo Capital, the BOI-iDICE Debt Fund, the BOI Non-Interest Banking team managing the IsDB-supported facility, and participating financial institutions. The Deal Room aims to hold 40–50 investor–enterprise meetings and generate investment leads for follow-up after the event.

iDICE and BOI will also take part in high-level sessions on financing and technology in the creative economy, and showcase programme-supported enterprises at the iDICE exhibition stand.

“Nigeria’s digital and creative industries hold significant potential to drive economic growth, create jobs, expand exports and strengthen the country’s global competitiveness. Realising this potential requires sustained investment in enterprise development, access to finance and the capabilities of our young people. Through the iDICE Programme, the Federal Government and the Bank of Industry are working with development partners to address these needs and build a stronger ecosystem for digital and creative enterprises. CANEX WKND provides an important platform to deepen engagement with industry stakeholders, connect creative entrepreneurs to investment opportunities and advance the partnerships needed to grow the sector,”said Ife Adebayo.

The National Coordinator of the iDICE Programme, Ife Adebayo, added: “The Deal Room is about turning conversations into investment. We are bringing some of the most promising enterprises from the iDICE pipeline to meet financiers ready to back them, while showing what iDICE is already delivering for young Nigerian founders and creatives.”

Creative and tech entrepreneurs attending CANEX WKND 2026 are invited to visit the iDICE Exhibition stand to learn about available financing and support, including non-interest financing open to all eligible enterprises.

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