Damilola Ogunbiyi: Profile of a global energy leader

Damilola Ogunbiyi HonFREng is the Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, and Co-Chair of UN-Energy.

She is widely recognized as a leading voice in the global push to end energy poverty and accelerate a just and equitable energy transition.

Background

Born in Nigeria in 1975, she pursued her higher education in the United Kingdom, earning a Master’s degree in Project Management for Construction from the University of Brighton in 2002.

Career  milestones

Ogunbiyi’s professional journey began with the UK’s Department for International Development before she returned to Nigeria, where she became Senior Special Assistant on Public-Private Partnerships to the Governor of Lagos State.

She went on to make history as the first female General Manager of the Lagos State Electricity Board, overseeing the delivery of more than 100 megawatts of decentralized energy projects to hospitals, schools, and public facilities across the state.

Her success at the state level led to a national appointment as Senior Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria and Head of the Advisory Power Team in the Office of the Vice President.

She later became the first female Managing Director of the Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency, where she initiated the $550 million Nigerian Electrification Project with the World Bank and African Development Bank.

This programme has expanded electricity access to more than eight million people in Nigeria.

She also launched the Energizing Economies Initiative, designed to impact more than 1.2 million small and medium-sized enterprises.

Leadership roles

In 2020, Ogunbiyi assumed the dual roles of CEO of SEforALL and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All.

Under her leadership, SEforALL has significantly expanded its global reach, forging partnerships with more than 200 organizations, supporting over 90 countries, and mobilizing commitments of more than $1.4 trillion in energy finance.

She has championed innovative initiatives such as the Universal Energy Facility, Powering Healthcare, Women and Youth at the Forefront, Cooling for All, and Clean Cooking.

At the same time, she has advanced global frameworks including the UN Energy Compacts, Universal Integrated Energy Plans, Energy Transition Plans, the Africa Carbon Markets Initiative, and the Renewable Energy Manufacturing Initiative.

Pioneering Mission 300

Ogunbiyi also plays a central role in Mission 300, a groundbreaking initiative in collaboration with the World Bank, African Development Bank, Rockefeller Foundation, and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet.

The initiative aims to electrify 300 million Africans by 2030. As Co-Chair of the Mission 300 Joint Working Group, she works closely with partner countries to mobilize financing, improve planning, and accelerate progress toward universal energy access.

Professional affiliations

Beyond her work at SEforALL, Ogunbiyi holds leadership positions in several international bodies.

She is a member of the World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab, the European Investment Bank Climate and Environment Advisory Council, and the Global Leadership Council of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet.

She also serves on the Advisory Board of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, the Development Advisory Council of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, the Clean Cooking Alliance Advisory Board, the WHO High-Level Coalition on Energy, and the Women in Sustainability, Environment and Renewable Energy Advisory Council.

She has contributed to major global climate platforms, including serving as Co-Chair of the COP26 Energy Transition Council and as a member of the COP28 Advisory Committee.

Recognitions

Ogunbiyi’s achievements have earned her wide recognition on the international stage.

In 2022, she was elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

The following year, she received the Energy Institute President’s Award.

In 2024, she was named to TIME’s 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders list, honored with the Global Female Leadership Impact Award, and received the Order of Zayed II (First Class) from the President of the United Arab Emirates for her role in the success of COP28.

She has also been celebrated by Reuters as one of the Trailblazing Women in Climate and Energy.

Advocacy

Ogunbiyi is a passionate advocate of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 7 on affordable and clean energy, Ogunbiyi emphasizes that nearly 90 percent of the 675 million people still living without electricity are in the Global South.

Her commitment is to ensure universal access to reliable, sustainable, and modern energy by 2030.

Through her vision and leadership, she has become one of the most respected global champions for energy access and climate action.