NEC also yesterday endorsed the implementation of the $617.7 million Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises, i-DICE, programme in the 36 states and the FCT.

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This is even as Office of the Accountant-General of Federation disclosed that several months after the government of former President Muhammadu Buhari granted states and FCT N1.72 trillion budget support grant, they were yet to refund the money.

At its 140th meeting held virtually yesterday, chairman of the council, Vice President Kashim Shettima, said only 16 states have submitted their report on state police, despite the fact that all the state of the federation expressed their support for it.

He also declared the firm resolve of the renewed hope administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to leave a legacy of prosperity and opportunity for all Nigerians.

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He told state governors to nominate persons to represent each geo-political zone at the zonal level and focal persons to lead the implementation of the programme in their respective states.

In his opening remarks at the meeting, Sen. Shettima assured that the administration will not rest on its oars until the citizens began to bask in the opportunities they were promised, noting that it was the reason the government was prioritizing skill acquisition and job creation.

He said: “But two things are clear. One, we won’t ever regret paving the way for the acquisition of skills that meet the needs of the global markets. Two, our actions today will shape the economic landscape of tomorrow, and so it’s incumbent upon us to ensure that we leave a legacy of prosperity and opportunity for all Nigerians.

“When we empower entrepreneurs and small business owners, we unlock the potential for innovation, job creation, and economic growth. By providing access to financing, training, and mentorship programs, we unleash the entrepreneurial spirit that lies within every Nigerian, catalysing a wave of economic prosperity that benefits us all.”

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Shettima implored governors and other council members to remain constant in executing initiatives that would help wriggle the citizens out of their present condition.

In his presentation on the i-DICE programme, the Executive Director in charge of SMES at the Bank of Industry, Mr Shekarau Omar, said the programme, a special intervention by government, was designed to deliver on the promise by the Tinubu administration to create millions of jobs in the technology space.

He listed African Development Bank, AfDB, the French Development Agency, AFD, and the Islamic Development Bank, IsDB, among organisations that will fund the programme, giving a breakdown of how the funds will be sourced as follows: AfDB, $170million; IsDB, $70 million; AFD, $116 million; Bank of Industry (BoI) on behalf of Federal Government, $45.50 million; Fund Manager (For Equity Fund only), $8.70 million, and private investors, $205 million.
On the impact of the programme, Omar said 1,269,757 youths would be trained and certified in ICT skills, with at least 25,000 youths trained in each state of the federation and the FCT.

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He noted that while at least 100,000 jobs will be created per state, about 5,581,231 indirect jobs will be created through i-DICE interventions nationwide.

The Excess crude account, ECA, was $473,754.57, the Stabilization Account N33,808,342,662.88, while the current balance of natural resources stands at N113,925,600,918.68.

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