The Federal Government has approved a new institutional reform and financing framework to accelerate the electrification of health facilities nationwide, a move expected to improve healthcare delivery by providing reliable 24-hour electricity to hospitals and primary healthcare centres.
The initiative, under the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative (NPHI), targets reliable electricity for at least 30 per cent of the country’s health facilities by the end of 2027.
The approval was reached at the third meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee (IMSC) of the NPHI, jointly coordinated by the Federal Ministries of Power and Health and Social Welfare.
Speaking at the meeting, the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, said the programme must move beyond announcements to the delivery of completed projects that Nigerians can see and benefit from.
Describing the initiative as one of President Bola Tinubu’s flagship programmes, Tegbe stressed the need to prioritise the electrification of teaching hospitals, state hospitals and primary healthcare centres.
He noted that the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has already provided electricity to five federal teaching hospitals and several other health facilities across the country.
According to him, dependable electricity would eliminate hospitals’ reliance on emergency generators, improve patient care and ensure uninterrupted operation of critical medical equipment. He also pledged continued support for the initiative’s funding while ensuring value for money.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Isiaq Salako, disclosed that the Steering Committee approved a financing framework to mobilise investment for healthcare electrification and adopted an energy management framework requiring participating hospitals to establish sustainable systems for managing their power infrastructure.
He added that the committee also approved eight private sector proposals for further engagement from about 70 submissions received during the National Healthcare Electrification Investor Matchmaking Week held in Lagos.
Salako said Energy Management Teams have already been established in federal tertiary hospitals, while state governments are being encouraged to set up similar structures.
He explained that the initiative would be institutionalised through dedicated budgetary provisions and the establishment of a full-time Project Coordination Unit to oversee implementation.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Power, Mahmud Mamman, said uninterrupted electricity is critical to powering life-saving medical equipment, preserving vaccines, supporting laboratory services and strengthening emergency response systems.
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 most critical infrastructure challenges facing Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
The Federal Government said the initiative reinforces its commitment to making reliable electricity a key pillar of healthcare delivery under the Renewed Hope Agenda, ensuring that health facilities are equipped not only with personnel and medical equipment but also with the dependable power required to keep them running effectively.