FG approves reforms to provide 24-hour electricity to 30% of Nigeria’s health facilities by 2027

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The approval was granted on Tuesday 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 Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Federal Ministry of Power to expand sustainable energy access in the health sector.

Speaking after the meeting, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said the committee approved a financing framework, endorsed major institutional reforms and cleared eight private sector proposals for further engagement to fast-track the implementation of the initiative.

According to him, the approvals mark another milestone in the implementation of the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative, which was established by President Bola Tinubu following the National Dialogue on Healthcare Electrification held in December 2025.

“This is significant progress for the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative. Today, the National Steering Committee met for the third time and reviewed the report of the Technical Committee. Members were pleased with the progress achieved so far. The initiative represents a broad partnership involving the Federal Government, state governments, the private sector and development partners,” Salako said.

He explained that the committee approved a financing framework to support implementation and another framework for facility energy management to ensure participating health institutions properly manage their energy infrastructure.

Salako disclosed that Energy Management Teams have already been established in federal tertiary hospitals, while state governments have been encouraged to set up similar structures in their health facilities.

He also revealed that the steering committee approved continued engagement with eight private sector proposals shortlisted from about 70 submissions received during the National Healthcare Electrification Investor Matchmaking Week held in Lagos.

According to the minister, the initiative will now be institutionalised through dedicated budgetary allocations and the establishment of a Project Coordination Unit staffed by full-time personnel.

Earlier in his remarks, Salako recalled that the initiative originated from the National Power for Health Dialogue held in September 2025, after which President Tinubu approved the programme and its governance structure in December of the same year.

He said the governance framework comprises the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee jointly chaired by the Minister of State for Health and the Minister of Power, an inter-agency technical committee, facility energy management teams and a dedicated project coordination unit.

“Our goal, as approved by Mr President, is to ensure that at least 30 per cent of Nigeria’s health facilities have reliable electricity by the end of 2027 through public-private partnerships based on energy-as-a-service delivery models,” he stated.

Salako noted that most federal tertiary hospitals have already established facility energy management teams, while national guidelines have been developed to improve energy management across healthcare facilities.

He added that the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has already deployed containerised solar power systems to about 100 hospitals nationwide, while several development partners are supporting similar electrification projects at the primary healthcare level.

Responding to questions on when blackouts would become a thing of the past in tertiary hospitals, the minister said the initiative should be viewed within the broader national effort to improve electricity supply.

“What we should really be asking is when Nigeria will eliminate blackouts generally. That is a work in progress. However, by opening up the energy sector, President Tinubu has created opportunities such as this, and we are confident that the country will gradually overcome the challenge,” he said.

Salako explained that while considerable effort had gone into establishing governance structures during the initiative’s first eight months, implementation projects were progressing simultaneously at primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare levels.

“We have used the past eight months to build the governance framework while electrification projects continue across primary healthcare centres, state-owned secondary facilities and tertiary hospitals. The REA alone has already energised about 100 hospitals nationwide.

“This platform will also create a central database that captures all healthcare electrification projects across the country,” he said.

Clarifying the government’s target, Salako said the objective is to ensure that at least 30 per cent of health facilities across Nigeria enjoy uninterrupted electricity by the end of 2027.

He explained that different energy technologies would be deployed depending on the specific needs of each facility.

“There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Some facilities will use mini-grids, others may rely on gas-powered systems or other technologies. We will adopt the most suitable solution for each location,” he added.

Also speaking, the Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to the initiative, describing it as one of the flagship programmes of the Tinubu administration.

He noted that the Energy for Health initiative is the most advanced among the administration’s three priority energy programmes, alongside Energy for Education and Energy for Agriculture.

“Energy for Health is a programme that enjoys the full support of Mr President. You have my commitment to ensuring its successful implementation,” Tegbe said.

He stressed that attention would now shift from launching projects to completing and commissioning them.

“Enough of groundbreaking ceremonies and media events. We want Nigerians to begin seeing teaching hospitals, state hospitals and primary healthcare centres that have been fully energised,” he said.

Tegbe added that reliable electricity is essential to improving healthcare delivery and eliminating the dependence on generators during medical emergencies.

“I want us to move beyond situations where generators are rushed to hospitals during emergencies. That should become a thing of the past. Whatever resources are required, we will continue to prioritise this initiative while ensuring value for money,” he stated.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Power, Mahmuda Mamman, described access to reliable electricity as fundamental to building a resilient healthcare system.

He said uninterrupted power supply is crucial for operating life-saving medical equipment, preserving vaccines, supporting laboratory services and strengthening emergency response systems.

“The Nigeria Power for Health Initiative represents a strong collaboration between government, development partners and the private sector to address one of the most critical infrastructure challenges facing Nigeria’s health sector.

“The Federal Ministry of Power remains fully committed to policies and programmes that will expand access to reliable and sustainable electricity for health facilities across the country. We believe stronger collaboration and innovation will accelerate implementation and significantly improve healthcare outcomes for Nigerians,” he said.