- Damilola Ogunbiyi has been named among six global leaders honoured at the 2026 TIME Earth Awards.
- The recognition highlights her role in advancing clean energy access and driving global climate action.
Damilola Ogunbiyi has received recognition at the 2026 TIME Earth Awards. She becomes the first Nigerian to earn the honour. TIME selected Ogunbiyi for her contributions to clean energy and climate action. She serves as Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General.
The Earth Awards represent TIME’s highest recognition for climate leadership. The programme honours individuals whose work has delivered lasting global impact. Organisers recognised Ogunbiyi for accelerating the clean energy transition. They also cited her efforts to expand access to sustainable power and reduce emissions worldwide.
Reacting to the award, Ogunbiyi emphasised the human impact of energy access. She said clean energy improves lives across communities. She said, “The energy transition is about people and the families and communities whose lives are transformed by reliable, clean power. Across the Global South, countries are leading the way, from Pakistan’s solar capacity reaching 33 gigawatts to Kenya generating over 90 per cent of its electricity from clean energy.
“In Nigeria, one of the world’s largest distributed renewable energy programmes is expanding access at scale, unlocking opportunity and improving livelihoods. This recognition is a reminder of what is possible when we put people at the centre of the energy transition.”
The recognition adds to Ogunbiyi’s growing list of global honours. It reflects her influence in climate and energy leadership.
Under her leadership, Sustainable Energy for All has expanded its global reach. The organisation has partnered with over 200 institutions and supported more than 100 countries.
In addition, the platform has helped secure over $1.6 trillion in energy financing commitments. These efforts continue to drive large-scale energy transition initiatives. Ogunbiyi previously served as Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria. During her tenure, she led the Nigerian Electrification Project.
The $550 million initiative delivered electricity access to more than eight million Nigerians. It also deployed over 100 megawatts of decentralised energy projects across key sectors.
Her recent recognitions include the 2025 Forbes Sustainability Leaders list. She also featured in the 2024 TIME100 Climate list. In addition, she received the First Class Order of Zayed II. The President of the United Arab Emirates awarded her for her role in the success of COP28.
Ogunbiyi has led Sustainable Energy for All since January 2020. She continues to drive efforts to expand energy access and promote sustainable development in emerging economies.