Oghosa Erhahon
Energy & Sustainability Specialist
Oghosa Erhahon on inspiring the next generation in the Global South
Oghosa Erhahon has gone from studying law and qualifying as a barrister to becoming an energy and sustainability specialist and global advisor in the space of just five years.
Currently based in Lagos, Nigeria, working with the Long Duration Energy Storage Council, Oghosa extends her time to supporting capacity building and skill development, especially in the Global South, through her Carbon Buddy Network.
Although she hesitates to describe herself as an influencer, she recently surpassed the 6,000 mark for LinkedIn followers, and acts as inspiration for the next generation looking to navigate a low-carbon future. Here, she explains how her journey has taken her from the courtroom to the forefront of sustainability; blazing a trail for others to follow on the global stage.
How did you go from qualifying as a lawyer to becoming an energy and sustainability specialist?
I qualified as a barrister and solicitor from the Nigerian Law School in 2019, but before that I got my Masters in oil, gas and mining law from Nottingham Law School, which really opened my eyes to the possibilities in sustainability. When I was venturing into this space everyone said ‘you don’t have any energy experience – this is crazy!’ But I knew I was going to figure it out, and my first role was as junior as it gets, working as an analyst in the electricity market.
You joined the Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) Council in May. What does that involve?
The LDES Council is a global non-profit with over 60 members in 20 countries. The Council works to accelerate the decarbonization of our world through the acceleration of long-duration energy storage. It provides member-driven, fact-based guidance and research to governments, grid operators and major electricity users on the deployment of long-duration energy storage for society’s benefit.
“People are far more eco-conscious than they used to be, particularly young people, and I think that’s because they’re seeing the actual repercussions of climate change and increased waste in their communities, not just in Nigeria, but several other countries.”
Oghosa Erhahon
Energy & Sustainability Specialist
You’ve also worked as an advisor and policy expert at organisations including the Research Institute for Sustainability and the Bretton Woods Committee. Is most of your work focused on the Global South?
No. I have been privileged to work with some of the greatest minds in the energy and sustainability space – it has been an impactful last five years. While my work with the mentioned organisations reflects the global complexities that we face ahead of the energy transition – the Global South requires 100 times more attention as it is not expected to do exactly as other countries have done, especially with energy market demand and sustainability.
I hope in time, as I build on experiences, I am able to witness Global South countries transform with reliable low-carbon energy access.
What is the Carbon Buddy?
I noticed a gap in communication around building communities and carbon-neutral alliances in Global South countries, so I started the Carbon Buddy as a community board, and it is growing organically. The first task is helping people, especially younger people, make sense of the bigger picture of energy and sustainability through blogs and building a platform to help them in their careers, because it’s easy to get lost in the big announcements that happen every so often.
Climate and sustainability affect all of us, so we should all be getting to a point where our day-to-day activities and reactions to politics, economics, energy and security all play a role in the transition.
You also have a new podcast out. Tell me about that?
It is called Global Tales of Carbon Transition, which I co-host with my colleagues Erik Rakhou and Joachim von Scheele. We actually published a book in 2022 called Touching Hydrogen Future, which was such a great success, with volume 2 out now too. We worked so well together that we started the podcast in March. What we aim to do is bring those conversations from the 10,000 feet high to step-to-step realities. It’s a host of the not-so typical decarbonisation stories and our coffee machine thoughts. I recently got recognised for an environmental hero off the podcast – so we are very thrilled to see how far we get.
Is there a large appetite for sustainability-related work in Nigeria?
Yes, absolutely. People are far more eco-conscious than they used to be, particularly young people, and I think that’s because they’re seeing the actual repercussions of climate change and increased waste in their communities, not just in Nigeria, but several other countries. The majority of people who are making the really grand decisions right now might not be in roles of influence in the next 20 – 25 years, so I’m really impressed by the young climate champions rising through.
Are you seeing a big green skills gap in the Global South?
Yes, and the skills gap is from our educational system. The average engineering course for example in a federal university in Nigeria is about five years, so if I started my degree in 2024 and graduate by 2030, the sustainability space and energy industry will be completely different. Unless the curriculum and modules are easily adaptable, with a maybe future outlook we might be setting students up for a competitive workforce without adequate amour.
You also do a lot of mentoring work, including through the Carbon Trust. How do you organise your time and create a good work/life balance with all your commitments?
One thing that’s helped me recently to balance all my commitments and different hats is accounting and logging everything I do. But I make myself available to people, especially younger people, who are making the transition in their careers. Beyond the energy and climate work – I also enjoy being an advisory member with the MENTEE Global which is phenomenal in bringing mentors to marginalised communities. I also began to split my weeks into segments, where I prioritise as best as possible.
What advice would you give to someone starting a career in sustainability?
A good place to start is expanding your knowledge and upskilling yourself through not only courses but network participation. Learning about new technologies, countries, industries and their demand for sustainability in energy or climate related sectors. I find it helps to see the bigger picture in the global net–zero goal and also as we know knowledge is indeed power and brings a lot of confidence.
