Anita Otubu, Senior Director, Universal Energy Facility (UEF), SEforALL

As a qualified lawyer and a certified project manager, with professional experience in electric power, oil, gas and climate change, Anita Otubu currently heads the project management unit of the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), which aims to accelerate the private market for the development of mini grids and captive power plants, as well as for the deployment of solar home systems for unserved and underserved homes, enterprises, educational and healthcare institutions.

Anita was part of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA)’s management team that secured $350million and $200million loan facilities for the NEP’s implementation, from the World Bank and the African Development Bank respectively.

She is also currently the programme manager for the Energising Education Programme (EEP) Phase I, in which her services led to the development and 1 year O&M of 7 captive solar hybrid power plants, ranging from 1MW to 8MW of total installed capacity, in federal universities across Nigeria.

Anita is a member of the advisory board for Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL)’s Universal Energy Facility (UEF), which provides grant subsidies to private sector, for the development of mini grids, towards bridging the energy access deficit, in Sierra Leone, Madagascar and the Republic of Benin. Sustainable Energy for All is an independent organisation, hosted by UNOPS, with a global mandate to accelerate progress on the energy transition in emerging and developing countries. They work at the intersection of energy, climate, and development. They also collaborate with governments and partners worldwide to end energy poverty, accelerate the deployment of renewable energy solutions, and combat climate change.

Their vision is a world where everyone, everywhere, can lead a dignified life on a healthy planet, powered by sustainable energy. They promote this vision by pushing for higher ambitions, stronger policies, greater finance flows, increased localisation and green jobs.

Anita is a member of the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (UN-OSAA)’s Knowledge Network, focused on achieving sustainable development in Africa. She is a non-executive board member of the recycling company Chanja Datti Ltd., and a co-head of the ‘NetBellas’ (Abuja Netball team).

Anita was a former member of the Advisory Power Team (APT) in the office of the Vice President of Nigeria, a technical assistant (Legal) to a Minister of Power, and her services have also been engaged by the National Assembly, Transmission Company of Nigeria, British Petroleum (West Africa), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Federal Ministry of Environment, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and Kaduna State Government (FRN) to name a few.