Bridge Africa Technologies Honours Damilare Olutimehin with Prestigious Data Innovation Excellence Award
In a moment of remarkable recognition for African excellence in data science, Bridge Africa Technologies has proudly conferred the Data Innovation Excellence Award on Damilare Olutimehin, a distinguished Nigerian data scientist and health informatics researcher whose innovations are transforming public health and digital ecosystems across sectors.
This prestigious award, presented at BAT’s Annual Innovation Forum, acknowledges exceptional contributions in applying data science to solve complex societal challenges. The 2024 award shines its light on Olutimehin, whose outstanding efforts in machine learning, healthcare analytics, and social impact data modeling have redefined how data can be used to uplift underserved populations.
“You have used data not just to model the world—but to improve it. Your work inspires a generation,” said BAT’s Executive Director in a glowing tribute during the ceremony.
One of Olutimehin’s hallmark strengths is his ability to apply technical skills to high-stakes, people-centered problems. During his time at Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro in Ogun State, Nigeria, he served as a Research Officer, supporting institutional data collection, patient survey design, and SPSS-based analysis for behavioral health assessments.
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His work contributed to improved case documentation, early psychosis detection tracking, and research publications that were integrated into health policy briefings and academic seminars. This experience laid the foundation for his later work in predictive analytics for community health.
While at Ulster, Olutimehin executed a multi-year trend analysis on anti-social behavior rates across Northern Ireland using Tableau, Python, and SPSS. He produced heatmaps and time series visualizations that provided public safety officials with actionable insights into seasonal crime patterns and socio-spatial distribution of risks.
Another major achievement was his research into tele-pharmacy frameworks, where he developed system architecture models to increase medication access for elderly and rural patients. By focusing on cloud-hosted applications and database integrity, his research proposed a scalable model for improving medication adherence in under-resourced areas.
Bridge Africa Technologies launched the Data Innovation Excellence Award to recognize young professionals from Africa and the diaspora who are deploying data science for systemic change. The award selection process includes a peer-reviewed nomination, project evaluation, and impact scoring across multiple dimensions: technical accuracy, social relevance, and ethical engagement.
“Damilare Olutimehin stood out not only for his academic rigor but for his ability to convert data into public value. He’s a builder, a connector, and a change-maker,” said BAT’s panel chair.
As at earlier this year, Olutimehin received a crystal plaque, formal citation, and a place in BAT’s Innovation Fellows Circle, which connects him with global peers and provides access to mentorship, international funding networks, and collaborative research opportunities.
At the time of the award, Olutimehin’s portfolio included: Graduate Teaching Assistantship at APSU, leading labs in programming and data analysis. Master’s in Data Science (Ulster University), focusing on AI in public health contexts. SPSS & Tableau-based behavioral modeling using UK and Nigerian datasets. Tele-pharmacy infrastructure proposal using UML and relational databases. Predictive analytics projects involving obesity modeling, antisocial behavior trends, and patient flow systems. He was also active in open-source communities, academic support groups, and served as a mentor to emerging data scientists across Nigeria, the UK, and the U.S.
Beyond his technical prowess, Olutimehin is admired for his ethics-driven approach to analytics. His personal commitment to transparency, explainability, and data justice aligns closely with the values BAT seeks to promote through its global network.
He has long emphasized the need for African-led data governance strategies, particularly in health systems, where data is often siloed or externally controlled. In lectures and community events, he has spoken about data colonialism, urging African governments and startups to own and protect their datasets while investing in localized algorithm development.
“Data sovereignty is critical. We need infrastructure that is made in Africa, by Africans, for African realities,” he emphasized during a seminar.
Though widely traveled and globally credentialed, Olutimehin’s work remains deeply connected to his roots. He continues to advise civic tech groups in Nigeria on deploying mobile data tools for public health tracking, and he has mentored numerous graduate school applicants from Africa, helping them secure placements in international institutions.
He is also passionate about STEM education for girls and underrepresented youth, volunteering with community outreach initiatives focused on data literacy and career exposure.
In his acceptance speech, Damilare Olutimehin expressed gratitude to his academic mentors, parents, research collaborators, and the communities that shaped his worldview. “This award is not just an honor. It is a call to deepen the work—to democratize data, to make algorithms accountable, and to train a generation that sees tech not as a profit tool but as a social mirror,” he said to an applauding audience.
The BAT Data Innovation Excellence Award cements his place among Africa’s most promising data professionals—and sets the stage for even greater impact.
