The IDEAS Digital Skill Award ($100,000) is now accepting applications

The Federal Ministry of Education (FME) is the implementing agency for the Federal Government of Nigeria’s World Bank-assisted Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) Project (FGN).

The goal of the IDEAS Project is to make Nigeria’s labor market better for skill development. This will be done by releasing important system drives for quality and relevance, especially by involving industry and bringing in private resources.

A part of the IDEAS Project called the Innovation Grant Facility (IGF) will give private organizations grants based on a competition to help them create new training programs in the areas of digital skills and digital entrepreneurship Such as digital literacy, specialized digital skills, and skills for ICT jobs, to give young people more power and new opportunities (particularly girls and persons with any disabilities who find it difficult locating regular job opportunities).

Requirements for the Award

Organizations in the private sector that want to help programs that improve digital skills are encouraged to send in proposals for Innovation Grants with a minimum grant amount of 100,000 Naira, which is the same as USD 100,000. The longest a project can last is three years.

Supported projects must meet the following criteria:

Encourage the development of digital literacy, digital fundamental skills, digital specialized skills, e-lancing, electronic entrepreneurship, and/or electronic marketing.
Encourages the creation of hubs and programs for developing digital skills and markets that will keep running after the project is done.
Respond to the lack of skills in the field;
Set up clear links between training and job opportunities, as well as higher incomes through self-employment and starting your own business;
Has built a strong gender component and helps women and kids from poor families learn how to use technology;
Has built a strong gender component and helps women and kids from poor families learn how to use technology.

Eligible beneficiaries (grantees) must:

Work in Nigeria and be a private or non-government organization, both for-profit and not-for-profit;
Be registered with the government in Nigeria;
Run for a minimum of three years;
Prior experience in Nigerian digital entrepreneurship development or training delivery is required.