By 
Matters eRising with Olusegun Oruame
Why Building Human Capital in Nigeria Is Never for the Faint-Hearted
In Nigeria, building people, shaping capacity, aligning policies, and working through institutions can stretch even the most patient reformer to the edge. The system tests your endurance. It questions your convictions. It demands resilience before results.
But history has shown that if you have the nerve to persist, the courage to adapt, and the humility to collaborate, Nigeria has an uncanny way of turning bitter lemons into the sweetest lemonade.
That truth is playing out quietly but profoundly in Nigeria’s evolving digital skills ecosystem.
When a Global CEO Looked at Nigeria and Saw Possibility
Sometime in the last quarter of 2024, Evelyn Ajibola Lewis, CEO of US-based SBTS Group, made a decision many global executives shy away from: to invest in Nigeria. Not as a market to extract from, but as a talent base to build.
That decision found fertile ground in Kaduna, facilitated by the proactive leadership of Engr. Shuaibu Kabir Bello, then SSA on ICT to Governor Uba Sani and now Managing Director of the Kaduna Mining Development Company (KMDC).
What followed was not fanfare, but process: a Zoom call, a physical visit, tours of potential BPO sites in the City of Crocodiles, and ultimately, an MoU. SBTS’ Nigerian journey had begun.
From Kaduna to the Federation: Scaling the Vision
As realities evolved, so did ambition. A second MoU. This time at the federal level with the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) expanded the scope beyond Kaduna. This was opening pathways for national deployment and international financing.
At the heart of Lewis’ conviction was a simple but powerful belief: Nigeria is Africa’s most viable plug-in for global digital labour.
Big, chaotic, complex: Yes! But also vibrant, ambitious, and frighteningly capable if properly structured.
The federal MoU became the springboard; one that allowed SBTS to scale its vision nationwide, while preserving its unique commitment to Kaduna State.
A Quadruple Alliance with One Goal: Skills, Jobs, Dignity
The DBI partnership further broadened to include Peaceinvest, a Geneva-based global investment firm using finance to build inclusive economies, and Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, under Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda.
In this framework:
- DBI became the anchor institution
- SBTS the engine room
- Peaceinvest the financial catalyst
- Government the policy enabler
The alliance was sealed in July, triggering the long, careful processes typical of global development finance.
Why SBTS Chose to Act Before the Money Arrived
Global financing takes time; often nine months or more. But Nigeria’s youth do not have the luxury of waiting.
In a bold and faith-driven move, SBTS chose not to wait.
The company de-risked the entire initiative, absorbing financial exposure and shielding its Nigerian partners. With stop-gap funding from Arise Fund, SBTS began implementation. Lewis and the team refused to wait, proving absolute belief in Nigeria was more than rhetoric.
ICBM: Turning Skills into Jobs, Not Certificates
On September 1, 2025, the Intelligent Capacity Building Model (ICBM) was launched across DBI campuses in Abuja and Enugu. ICBM is a national workforce transformation programme jointly delivered by SBTS and DBI.
The goal is ambitious but necessary: to train and place 50,000 Nigerians into high-growth digital jobs by 2030.
ICBM is not another training scheme. It is a learn-to-work model. Train first, Place next.
Pilots, Proof, and the Rebirth of Enugu Campus
The pilot phase enrolled 100 trainees each in Abuja and Enugu, stress-testing everything: infrastructure, financing models, training delivery, and BPO readiness.
In Enugu, the impact went deeper. Massive infrastructure upgrades led to the formal reopening of the DBI Enugu Campus, more than 13 years after its establishment. A powerful symbol of what alignment between people, policy, and willpower can achieve.
Training for the Jobs of Today—and Tomorrow
Trainees underwent intensive instruction in:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Cybersecurity
- Cloud Computing
- Digital Operations & BPO services
Every successful participant is guaranteed placement within SBTS’ BPO centres and Security Operations Centres (SOC). It’s a clear-cut goal to closing the gap between education and employment that has haunted Nigeria for decades.
Challenges Came—Commitment Stayed
Since its launch, ICBM has faced the familiar Nigerian realities: infrastructure gaps, cultural resistance, policy bottlenecks, and human complexity.
Yet leadership within DBI under Daser David, and within SBTS under Evelyn Lewis, has remained steadfast.
The destination remains clear: 50,000 real jobs for Nigerian youth by 2030.
Why ICBM Aligns Perfectly with Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda
The SBTS–DBI ICBM initiative fits squarely within President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, advancing:
- Youth empowerment
- Digital inclusion
- Human capital development
- Job creation at scale
It complements national programmes like 3MTT, strengthens Nigeria’s BPO export capacity, and positions the country as a global supplier of digital talent, not just a consumer of technology.
At its core, ICBM is about dignity. It is about giving young Nigerians skills that travel, incomes that sustain, and futures that inspire.
A Call to Nigeria’s Youth: The Door Is Open
ICBM is a continuous recruitment programme, with applications reviewed daily.
How to Apply
- Apply Online: Pay a non-refundable ₦5,000 application fee via the official ICBM website: https://icbm.dbi.edu.ng/
- Assessment: Take an aptitude and skills test
- Review & Onboarding: Successful candidates undergo financial and admission review before onboarding
Nigeria’s Strategic Bet on Its Youth
Nigeria’s quest for relevance in the global digital economy will not be won by speeches or policies alone. It will be won by people that are trained, trusted, and transformed.
ICBM is proof that when belief meets structure, and courage meets collaboration, Nigeria can build a workforce the world will compete for.
The lemonade is already being served.
