Agbakhamen: A Climate Change Advocate Leveraging Passion To Excel In Engineering

A distinguished engineer and renowned climatologist, Engr Cletus Agbakhamen has been honoured as a recipient of the prestigious 100 Global Impact Personalities Award of the Year 2025.

Agbakhamen was honoured alongside Bill Gates, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, Professor Gerald Okeke, the first African Professor of Climate Change and Sustainability, and 96 others at the Global Impact Personalities Summit and Awards organised by the African Intercontinental Network in collaboration with the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Abuja, recently as a reward for his contribution to environment and humanity.

The Summit provides a platform where engineering experiences from oil and gas, construction, and other fields can be translated into lessons and inspiration for others across the world.
In an interview, Engr Agbakhamen emphasised the importance of younger professionals viewing safety and environmental responsibility as central to genuine leadership. He also shared insights into his journey to the top of his field, highlighting the values and experiences that have shaped his career.

Speaking, he said, “This award is a humbling recognition of years of dedication to engineering, occupational health and safety, and climate change advocacy. For me, it is not just a personal honour but a call to continue creating impact, protecting lives, advancing innovation, and inspiring sustainable practices across industries. It affirms that the work we do in engineering, safety, and sustainability resonates globally.”

Agbakhamen hoped his work would impact others and leave a legacy behind. “I want my work to show that engineering, safety, and environmental responsibility must always go hand in hand.

“My hope is to inspire younger professionals to see safety and environmental responsibility not as obligations but as the heart of true leadership. Also, that others see engineering as a force for making workplaces safer, advancing innovation responsibly, and creating sustainable solutions for future generations.”

Speaking on what inspired him to pursue a career in the field, he stated that, inspiration came from a passion for solving problems and protecting people through engineering and safety. “I chose engineering because it blends creativity with problem-solving. The oil and gas industry, where I have spent many years, is high-risk, and my drive has always been to ensure no life is seriously injured or lost in pursuit of progress.”

Speaking on where he believes his achievement can inspire others, Agbakhamen said, “This feat is evidence that excellence and integrity in one’s profession get noticed. I believe it will inspire others to do their work with integrity, responsibly, to prioritise human lives above profits, and to remain committed to sustainable development even when it is difficult.”

Challenges
The challenges have been many: bridging theory with practice, being innovative in finding and adapting to better alternative solutions, and balancing resource constraints, cost, and schedule with safety and environmental responsibility, he said.

Advice
“I learnt that true leadership is about service and concern for human life. I also learnt that innovation without safety is incomplete, and that sustainability must guide our decisions. These lessons have shaped me into a professional who measures success not by titles, but by lives impacted.

“So for me, my first advice to others aspiring to achieve similar success is to build a strong foundation in your core discipline and master the basics. Second, embrace challenges as opportunities to grow. Third, build resilience, because success is not without setbacks. Finally, always anchor your work on values of integrity and service.

“Also, have a role model. My ultimate role model is Jesus Christ, whose life of service, humility, and sacrifice guides my values. Professionally, I have also been blessed with mentors and colleagues who emphasised discipline, excellence, and getting results the right way. Their combined impact has helped me integrate engineering, leadership, safety, and compassion into my profession,” he pointed out.