Ife Adebayo

Ife Adebayo is a Nigerian technology and innovation enthusiast. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Ilorin and a master’s degree in Business Information Systems from the University of East London. He has over 16 years of experience working in the technology and innovation space in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Nigeria and has initiated and led large projects with Development Finance Institutions such as the World Bank, African Development Bank, French Development Agency, and Islamic Development Bank.

He is a proven leader in strategy, policy creation, and implementation in digital technology and creativity. He served as the former Special Assistant on Innovation to the Nigerian Vice President from 2015 to 2023, advising the Nigerian Government on innovation policy and strategy for Nigeria’s digital technology and creativity ecosystem. He has been involved in various initiatives to promote technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

Ife currently leads the African Development Bank-supported Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises Programme (iDICE) at the Bank of Industry. In this role, he coordinates the day-to-day implementation of the programme, providing support for Nigeria’s technology and creativity ecosystem across the three core pillars of skills and enterprise development, access to finance for startups, and providing an enabling environment for businesses in the technology and creative sectors. Ife is an avid believer in Nigeria’s greatness and works daily towards the betterment of the country.