Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO of Sustainable Energy for All and the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All, has been named to the 2026 TIME Earth Awards. The recognition makes her the first Nigerian to receive TIME’s highest honor for climate leadership.
Ogunbiyi was chosen as one of six global leaders shaping climate action in 2026. The award acknowledges her leadership in accelerating clean energy access, advancing decarbonization, and mobilizing large-scale energy finance across developing economies.
Organizers highlighted several achievements behind the accolade. Ogunbiyi has helped mobilize more than 1.6 trillion US dollars in energy finance, supported over 100 countries, and built partnerships with more than 200 organizations. In Nigeria, she led a 550 million US-dollar electrification project that reached over 8 million people.
Commenting on the recognition, Ogunbiyi said that the energy transition is about people and that the award is a reminder of what is possible when people are placed at the centre of the transition.
The TIME Earth Awards celebrate individuals whose work has had a measurable impact on global efforts to address climate change. This year marks the fourth edition of the awards and comes at a moment when rapid progress on clean energy and inclusive climate solutions is widely seen as essential.
