News Highlights:
- Dr. Evelyn A. Lewis has been recognized as one of Nigeria’s 50 Most Valuable Personalities in the Digital Economy.
- Lewis is recognized for his outstanding leadership in digital innovation and human capital development across Africa.
Dr. Evelyn A. Lewis, Chief Executive Officer of SBTS Group, has been named one of Nigeria’s “50 Most Valuable Personalities in the Digital Economy,” an annual recognition organized by Knowhow Media, publishers of ITEdgeNews.Africa to honour and celebrate individuals who have significantly advanced Nigeria’s digital transformation over the past decade.
Dr. Lewis’s recognition underscores his visionary leadership in fostering Africa-focused digital innovation, promoting skills development, and driving inclusive economic growth.
At the forefront of his contributions is a strategic partnership between SBTS Group and the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), through which he is spearheading one of Africa’s most ambitious human capital development programs, an initiative that aims to train five million Nigerian youths and create 50,000 digital jobs by 2030.
Central to this program is the Intelligent Capacity Building Model (ICBM), a comprehensive platform designed by Dr. Lewis to bridge the gap between training and employment. The ICBM is being implemented across DBI’s campuses nationwide, offering career pathways in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), cybersecurity, software development, artificial intelligence, and digital entrepreneurship.
All these programs are aligned with Nigeria’s National Digital Economy Policy and the federal government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative.
SBTS Group and DBI are set to launch a series of training and BPO centres, beginning with Abuja and Enugu in southeastern Nigeria in June. The initial rollout is expected to create over 5,000 jobs.
Dr. Lewis has also overseen the development of a unified digital learning and registration infrastructure for DBI. This system integrates national identity frameworks such as the National Identification Number (NIN) and the Bank Verification Number (BVN), while also supporting student sponsorships, enterprise partnerships, and career tracking.
These innovations provide the groundwork for a national framework to scale workforce transformation and enhance institutional accountability.
The award which was officially presented at the “Nigeria: State of the Digital Economy 2025” colloquium and awards ceremony held in Lagos, gathered leaders from government, academia, and the private sector to honour individuals making substantial contributions to Nigeria’s digital future.
Dr. Evelyn Lewis’s leadership is a testament to SBTS Group’s unwavering dedication to impactful collaboration, capacity building, and the development of a globally competitive digital economy rooted in Africa. His recognition serves as validation of the company’s bold vision and pragmatic approach to driving digital transformation across the continent.
Themed “Accelerating Nigeria’s Digital Transformation: Insights on Challenges and Emerging Opportunities,” the “50 Most Valuable Personalities (50MVPs)” award is not only a platform for celebrating public and private sector trailblazers but also a forum for meaningful dialogue that fosters critical reflection on the country’s digital journey.
Other notable recipients of the 2025 edition include Prof. Obadare Peter Adewale, CVO of Digital Encode; Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction; Ayọ̀wándé Àdalémọ, Founder and CEO of Wave5Wireless; and Mr. Ayowande Adalemo, Founder of Wave5Wireless Ltd.
Others include Engr. Shuaibu Kabir Bello, CEO of KMDC; Dr. Krishnan Ranganath, Regional Executive for West Africa and Morocco at Africa Data Centres; Hon. Suleiman Isah, Niger State Commissioner for Communications Technology and Digital Economy; Daser David, President and CEO of Digital Bridge Institute; Engr. Olawole Owoeye, Co-founder of Cedarview Communications; and Engr. Ike Nnamani, CEO of Digital Realty.