Sandrine Gbaha – Building Energy Bridges Across Africa

My name is Sandrine Gbaha. I’m an energy consultant and engineer from Côte d’Ivoire, currently based between France and West Africa. For over 12 years, I’ve worked across the renewable energy and infrastructure sector—developing hybrid power systems, managing complex electrification projects, and navigating the intersection of technology, sustainability, and inclusion.

Growing up in Côte d’Ivoire, I quickly realized how energy was more than just electricity—it was access, opportunity, and dignity. My academic path led me to INP-HB in Abidjan and later to CentraleSupélec in Paris, where I earned a Master's in Energy Markets Management and deepened my understanding of energy systems. But it was in the field—in the villages, mines, and energy control rooms across West and Central Africa—that I truly found my purpose.

My professional journey has taken me from operating a 200 MW gas power plant with Aggreko, to coordinating EDF’s Hinkley Point C Project, to leading microgrid deployment for Schneider Electric across 10+ African countries. Today, as an independent consultant, I advise institutions and startups on how to make energy more accessible and resilient. I’ve also launched EV Nova, a project that aims to assemble electric motorcycles and develop battery swap infrastructure for Africa’s urban mobility transition.

Technical presentation of T300 solution – Schneider Electric (Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire)

Training session at Schneider Electric with Senegalese engineers (MACON, France)

Like many women in male-dominated industries, I’ve had to push through bias and silence. But I’ve also been fortunate to be surrounded by mentors, sisters, and allies who reminded me that leadership doesn’t require permission—it requires vision, discipline, and empathy. Each time a rural community gets connected, or a woman engineer steps up into a leadership role, I am reminded why we must keep going.

Graduation at Aggreko Summer University – Young Leaders Cohort

A quote I often return to is:
“She remembered who she was and the game changed.”
It speaks to resilience, identity, and agency—especially for women in transition, in motion, in mission.

To the young women reading this: your path may be unclear now, but walk it anyway. We need your voice, your design, your code, your vision. Let’s build this future together.