Yemisi Izuora
Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) announced that Damilola Ogunbiyi, current managing director MD of the Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency (REA), has been selected as the organisation’s new CEO.
The news followed United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres announcing the appointment of Ogunbiyi as his Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy.
By serving in these roles, she will continue the close ties SEforALL has with the UN, helping to support even greater collaboration towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7)—affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030.
Ogunbiyi’s appointment—following a highly competitive global search led by the SEforALL administrative board—coincides with the final decade to achieve and meet the promise of SDG7.
She will succeed Rachel Kyte, former SEforALL CEO and Special Representative to the Secretary-General, after Kyte announced her resignation earlier in the year.
António Mexia, Chairman of the SEforALL administrative board and CEO of Energias de Portugal (EDP), said: “Thanks to the leadership of Rachel, SEforALL is in a stronger position than ever to continue its work with the UN and to help the Sustainable Development Goal 7 movement go even further and faster in closing access gaps.
“Yet the challenge of meeting global energy goals at the speed and scale needed is ever-pressing. Damilola is the right leader at the right time. She has the experience, track record, and passion for sustainable development to catalyse progress, scale energy access, and lead SEforALL with ambition and impact.”
Ogunbiyi is a globally respected leader with a broad and diverse international network in the area of energy development, which includes key relationships with leading multilateral and bilateral partners and the private sector. She is also one of the Commissioners for the Global Commission to End Energy Poverty.
Ogunbiyi’s work in Nigeria focused on mobilising the stakeholders and finance needed for delivering energy access to people and communities that need it most.
She was the first woman to be appointed as managing director of the Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency.
She is also responsible for implementing the Nigerian Off-Grid Electrification Programme and successfully negotiating the Nigerian Electrification Project, to rapidly construct solar mini-grids and deploy solar home systems across Nigeria.
Speaking on her announcement, Ogunbiyi said: “As the world faces ongoing development challenges, access to energy is the key that will help unlock the Sustainable Development Goals. With 2030 growing ever closer, smart use of data, new partnerships, and scaled involvement of the private sector will be paramount for SEforALL’s work.
“I’m proud to join SEforALL and continue to focus our efforts on closing energy access gaps, showing that a clean energy transition is possible, and working to give everyone the opportunity of a prosperous, dignified, and healthy life.”
Whilst at the REA, Ogunbiyi was responsible for the Energising Education Programme, which aims to provide uninterrupted electricity to universities and teaching hospitals through off-grid captive power. She also led gender inclusion activities in the REA and the Nigerian energy sector.
Before joining the federal government of Nigeria, Ogunbiyi was the General Manager of the Lagos State Electricity Board, which is responsible for public lighting, independent power projects, and energy development in Lagos State.
Ogunbiyi will take up the SEforALL post in early 2020, and from 26-28 May 2020, she will welcome stakeholders from across the SDG7 movement at the SEforALL Forum in Kigali, Rwanda.