Oluchi Chibuzor
The federal government has approved an institutional reform and financing framework to accelerate the electrification of health facilities nationwide, in a move officials say will bring reliable, 24-hour power to hospitals long hampered by erratic electricity supply. The decisions were reached at 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, which is targeting reliable electricity for at least 30 per cent of Nigeria’s health facilities by the end of 2027.
Speaking at the meeting, Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, declared that the initiative must now move from announcements to actual project delivery.
Describing the NPHI as one of the Tinubu administration’s flagship programmes, he said the emphasis should shift toward commissioning completed projects that Nigerians can see for themselves, rather than further groundbreaking ceremonies and public messaging.
He emphasised the need for teaching hospitals, state hospitals and primary healthcare centres fully energized, noting that the Rural Electrification Agency has already energized 5 Federal Teaching Hospitals and several other health facilities nationwide.
He also tied the initiative directly to patient outcomes, arguing that dependable power would end hospitals’reliance on emergency generators, and pledged that the Ministry would continue to prioritize the initiative’s funding needs while ensuring value for money.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Power, Mahmud Mamman, underscored the stakes for the health sector, noting that uninterrupted electricity is essential for powering critical medical equipment, preserving vaccines, supporting laboratories and strengthening emergency response systems.