Powering Progress: My Journey in International Development Law with the World Bank
Energy and Climate Change Law LLM student Iyanujesu Oguntunji recounts her internship with the World Bank, funded by Queen Mary's Energy and Climate Change Law Institute.
My recent internship with the Legal Vice Presidency’s Africa and Middle East & North Africa Practice Group (LEGAM) at the World Bank was an invaluable experience that offered insight into the legal aspects of international development. From supporting sovereign lending to fostering energy access and social development, I contributed to projects across diverse regions. I worked closely with legal teams on structuring and negotiating instruments for World Bank–financed operations, ensuring compliance with policies while proposing practical solutions to enable effective project implementation.
A highlight was working on energy access. I conducted a detailed legal and fiduciary analysis for the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up (DARES) regional project in Liberia, evaluating fund-flow options and reviewing constitutional and governance documents to ensure transparent implementation arrangements. I also supported energy access initiatives in Ethiopia and Zambia under the Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation (ASCENT) programme through a Multi-Phase Programmatic Approach (MPA). This was a hands-on opportunity to grasp the intricacies of delivering sustainable energy solutions to unserved and underserved communities.
Beyond energy, I supported projects in other key sectors. In Malawi, I reviewed legal documentation for a combined Program-for-Results and Investment Project Financing initiative in the education sector, navigating the implications of various conditions. In Somalia, I contributed to climate adaptation and resilience efforts by drafting grant agreements and aligning them with World Bank General Conditions for projects focused on human capital and economic development.
This internship helped me understand World Bank financing instruments namely Development Policy Financing, Investment Project Financing, and Program-for-Results. I strengthened my drafting, negotiation preparation, and client-facing communication skills within complex sovereign contexts, while enhancing my ability to conduct cross-disciplinary legal risk assessments that integrated constitutional, public finance, and procurement considerations.
My time with LEGAM provided valuable exposure to sovereign lending and international development legal work. It was an inspiring experience that reinforced my commitment to advancing progress in low- and middle-income countries.
I am grateful for the financial support of the Energy and Climate Change Law Institute that made this opportunity possible. It enhanced my experience during my Energy and Climate Change Law LLM at the Centre for Commercial Studies at Queen Mary University of London.