Ayodeji Stephen: UN Climate Change High-Level Champion & Energy Advisor
Ayodeji Stephen is the Africa Energy Lead at the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions and Founder of HydroGEM Energy Advisory and Sledge Infrastructures. He also convenes the African Hydrogen Fellowship and is pursuing a PhD in hydrogen applications for transport decarbonisation at Dublin City University.
Stephen speaks about his work with an almost architectural precision, describing his devotion to “building the systems, knowledge architecture, and foundational infrastructure” that will ignite Africa’s hydrogen economy.
His mission is to design the ecosystems of skills, standards, partnerships and governance that will allow hydrogen to grow responsibly and become truly competitive on the continent. It is a long-term undertaking, but one he approaches with clarity and an unshakeable commitment to getting the fundamentals right.
Yet beneath this ambition lies a persistent frustration around the continent’s uneven culture of project delivery. He has witnessed too many promising initiatives falter, not only because of scarce funding but due to misaligned incentives, inconsistent project management, and technical gaps that weaken execution.
As he puts it, the issue is not merely about initiating bold ventures; it is about “completing them well, with the level of quality and integrity necessary to provide long-term value.” This pursuit of excellence shapes how he leads, collaborates and evaluates progress.
Cover photo: Ayodeji Stephen
