Evelyn A. Lewis, Chief Executive Officer of SBTS Group, has been named one of Nigeria’s 50 Most Valuable Personalities in the Digital Economy by ITEdgeNews.Africa. The prestigious recognition celebrates leaders who have significantly contributed to the nation’s digital transformation and tech-driven economic growth.
Lewis’s inclusion underscores his visionary leadership in advancing Africa-focused digital innovation, skills development, and inclusive job creation. Under his guidance, SBTS Group, in partnership with Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), is spearheading an ambitious initiative to train 5 million Nigerian youths and create 50,000 digital jobs by 2030.
Key Achievements & Initiatives:
- Intelligent Capacity Building Model (ICBM):A groundbreaking platform designed by Lewis’s led SBTS Group to bridge the gap between skills training and employment opportunities. The ICBM delivers specialized career tracks in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), cybersecurity, software development, AI, and digital entrepreneurship.
- Alignment with National Policies:The initiative supports Nigeria’s National Digital Economy Policy and the federal government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Program.
- Upcoming Job Creation:SBTS and DBI are set launch training and BPO centers in Abuja and Enugu in June 2025, targeting over 5,000 jobs in the first phase.
- Unified Digital Learning Infrastructure:The SBTS has overseen the development of an integrated system incorporating NIN, BVN, and enterprise partnerships to streamline student registration, sponsorships, and career tracking.
The award was presented at the “Nigeria: State of the Digital Economy 2025” colloquium in Lagos, where industry leaders gathered to discuss strategies for scaling Nigeria’s digital workforce and economic competitiveness.
Lewis’s recognition reinforces SBTS Group’s commitment to high-impact collaborations, workforce development, and positioning Africa as a global digital economy leader.
The 50 Most Valuable Personalities (50MVPs) award is an annual initiative recognizing public and private sector leaders advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda. Beyond accolades, the event serves as a forum for critical reflection and dialogue under the theme: “Accelerating Nigeria’s Digital Transformation: Insights on Challenges and Emerging Opportunities.”
Notable honourees for the 2025 edition include:
- Obadare Peter Adewale, CVO, Digital Encode
- Nentawe Yilwatda, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs & Poverty Reduction
- Ayọ̀wándé Àdalémọ,Founder & CEO, Wave5Wireless
- Ayowande Adalemo, Founder, Wave5Wireless Ltd
- Shuaibu Kabir Bello, CEO, KMDC
- Dr Krishnan Ranganath, Regional Executive – West Africa & Morocco- at Africa Data Centres (ADC)
- Suleiman Isah, Commissioner for Communications Technology & Digital Economy
- Daser David, President/CEO, Digital Bridge Institute
- Olawole Owoeye, Co-founder, Cedarview Communications
- Ike Nnamani, CEO, Digital Realty