Abayomi Susan
The Federal Government has approved a new institutional and financing framework aimed at accelerating the electrification of health facilities across the country, in a major step towards ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply for hospitals and other healthcare institutions.
The approval was reached during the third meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee (IMSC) of the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative (NPHI), a presidential programme jointly coordinated by the Federal Ministries of Power and Health and Social Welfare. The initiative is designed to provide reliable electricity to at least 30 per cent of Nigeria’s health facilities by the end of 2027.
The meeting, chaired by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Isiaq Salako, and co-chaired by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, brought together senior government officials, development partners, and members of the Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC), who presented key recommendations for implementation.
Speaking during the meeting, Tegbe stressed that the programme must transition from policy discussions to visible project execution. He described the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative as one of the flagship programmes of the Tinubu administration, emphasizing that Nigerians should begin to witness completed projects rather than more groundbreaking ceremonies.
He noted that the initiative seeks to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to teaching hospitals, state-owned hospitals, and primary healthcare centres nationwide. According to him, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has already provided reliable electricity to five federal teaching hospitals and several other healthcare facilities across the country.
The Minister further highlighted the direct impact of reliable electricity on healthcare delivery, explaining that stable power would reduce hospitals’ dependence on generators, improve patient care, and enhance the operation of critical medical equipment. He reaffirmed the Ministry of Power’s commitment to prioritising funding for the initiative while ensuring prudent use of public resources.
Announcing the resolutions of the meeting, Dr. Salako disclosed that the Steering Committee approved a financing framework to attract investments into healthcare electrification, alongside an energy management framework that will require participating hospitals to establish sustainable systems for managing their electricity infrastructure.
He also revealed that eight private sector proposals were approved for further engagement from approximately 70 submissions received during the National Healthcare Electrification Investor Matchmaking Week held in Lagos.
According to him, Energy Management Teams have already been established in federal tertiary hospitals, while state governments are being encouraged to adopt similar structures. He added that the initiative will now be institutionalised through dedicated budgetary allocations and the establishment of a full-time Project Coordination Unit to drive implementation.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Power, Mahmud Mamman, underscored the importance of reliable electricity to the health sector, noting that uninterrupted power is vital for operating life-saving medical equipment, preserving vaccines, supporting laboratory services, and strengthening emergency healthcare delivery.
He described the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative as a landmark collaboration between government, development partners, and the private sector aimed at addressing one of the country’s most critical healthcare infrastructure challenges.
The Nigeria Power for Health Initiative reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to making reliable electricity a key pillar of healthcare delivery. As implementation gathers pace, the programme is expected to strengthen healthcare services nationwide while advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by ensuring that healthcare facilities are supported not only with skilled personnel and modern equipment but also with the dependable power required for efficient service delivery.
