Damilola Ogunbiyi is CEO of Sustainable Energy for All, special representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, and co-chair of UN-Energy.
Previously, Mrs. Ogunbiyi was the first female managing director of the Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency and was responsible for successfully negotiating the Nigerian Electrification Project, a $550 million facility to rapidly construct solar mini-grids and deploy solar home systems across Nigeria. She was also responsible for the Energizing Education Programme, which will provide uninterrupted electricity to 37 federal universities and seven teaching hospitals through off-grid captive power.
Mrs. Ogunbiyi conceptualized the Energizing Economies Initiative, which provides sustainable and affordable off-grid power solutions to economic clusters in Nigeria and drove gender inclusion activities in the REA and energy sectors. Previously, she was senior special assistant to the president on power and head of the advisory power team in the Office of the Vice President, where she was also responsible for the Power Sector Recovery Programme.
Mrs. Ogunbiyi was the first female to be appointed as the general manager of the Lagos State Electricity Board. She entered public service as the senior special assistant to the Lagos State Governor on public-private partnerships. Prior to her appointment, Mrs. Ogunbiyi was a consultant for the United Kingdom Department for International Development on public-private partnerships.
She created the Lagos State Energy Academy to build the capacity of young people in renewable energy technology.
Mrs. Ogunbiyi is a commissioner for the Global Commission to End Energy Poverty.
