Damilola Ogunbiyi early 40’s, South West, Nigeria) is a global leader and advocate for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a focus on SDG7, which calls for access to reliable, affordable, sustainable, and modern energy for all by 2030. She is the Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Energy for All, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, and Co-Chair of UN-Energy. She is one of the young technocrats who worked under the Lagos State Government and longtime disciple of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in actualizing the state’s master plan. Tinubu’s long time vision to transform Lagos State into world class mega city has progressed overtime from one state administration to the other after he left office in 2007, and Damilola is one of those young bright minds who made a stint in the administration’s electricity sector – Lagos State Electricity Board. Even not known member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), she is considered one of the young women who enjoy high political recommendation from the South West block which have been bolstered more by her excellent performance at any given opportunity.
Mrs. Ogunbiyi was the first female Managing Director of the Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency where she initiated the Nigerian Electrification Project, a USD 550 million facility which is a joint World Bank and African Development Bank programme that to date provided energy access to over 5 million people across Nigeria. She also conceptualised the Energizing Economies Initiative, estimated to impact 1.2 million SMEs. Her decentralized renewable energy policy making strategy garnered international Her national reputation only gained much following during her leadership of the Nigeria Rural Electrification Agency that was merely known until Damilola took the helm in 2017 as the first female Chief Executive of the agency. Prior to joining REA, she worked in several capacities including as Consultant, Department for International Development, UK, Senior Special Assistant to Lagos State government on Public Private Partnership, became first female General Manager of Lagos State Electricity Board and first woman to head any state owner electricity organization nationwide. She stepped up to the national call behind the curtains of the presidency as Senior Special Assistant to the President and Head of Advisory Power Team in the Office of the Vice President which her exceptional performance gained her the position of the CEO of the struggling rural electrification agency at the time. Compact Energy Transition Plans, Universal Integrated Energy Plans, the Africa Carbon Markets Initiative (ACMI), and the Renewable Energy Manufacturing Initiative (REMI) among many others.
Through her leadership, SEforALL has grown its global influence and country support providing clear pathways to accelerate progress towards universal energy access, ending energy poverty, and advancing the global just and equitable energy transition. Mrs. Ogunbiyi is a member of the Global Leadership Council (GLC) of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), a member of the Clean Cooking Alliance Advisory Board, and a member of the Advisory Board of University of Oxford’s Future of Cooling Programme and so many others. At a time when Nigeria is groppling with clean sustainable and renewable energy both in technical expertise and funding, her experience and network will greatly enhance the efforts of the new government if positions in the sector interests which engineered funding that sparked a revolution in the country’s renewable energy sector. However, her stellar vision to power all Nigerian markets, schools and commercial hubs was cut short due to political interests that sought to undermine her boisterous efforts.
With a highly remarkable performance which endeared the international community including the United Nations she was tapped to oversee UN Sustainable Energy for All programme after her resignation from the REA. With Mrs. Ogunbiyi at the helm, Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) has entered into working relationships with over 200 partners, supported over 90 countries globally, and secured commitments of more than $600 billion in energy finance. This has been achieved through programmes such as Universal Energy Facility, Powering Healthcare, Women and Youth at the Forefront, Compacts , Energy Trans ition Plans , Universal Integrated Energy Plans, the Africa Carbon Markets Initiative (ACMI), and the Renewable Energy Manufacturing Initiative (REMI) among many others. Through her leadership, SEforALL has grown its global influence and country support providing clear pathways to accelerate progress towards universal energy access, ending energy poverty, and advancing the global just and equitable energy transition.
Mrs. Ogunbiyi is a member of the Global Leadership Council (GLC) of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), a member of the Clean Cooking Alliance Advisory Board, and a member of the Advisory Board of University of Oxford’s Future of Cooling Programme and so many others. At a time when Nigeria is groppling with clean sustainable and renewable energy both in technical expertise and funding, her experience and network will greatly enhance the efforts of the new government if positions in the sector.