Nigeria Approves New Financing Framework to Fast-Track Electrification of Health Facilities

Nigeria Approves New Financing Framework to Fast-Track Electrification of Health Facilities

By Gabriel Kekong

Abuja (Core Reporters) – The Federal Government has approved an institutional reform and financing framework to accelerate the electrification of health facilities nationwide, in a move aimed at providing reliable 24-hour electricity to hospitals and other healthcare centres long affected by unstable power supply.

The approval was 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. The initiative targets reliable electricity for at least 30 per cent of Nigeria’s health facilities by the end of 2027.

The meeting was chaired by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Isiaq Salako, and co-chaired by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe. It brought together senior government officials, development partners and members of the Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC), who presented key recommendations for implementation.o

Speaking at the meeting, Tegbe said the initiative must now move beyond policy announcements to visible project delivery. He described the NPHI as one of the Tinubu administration’s flagship programmes, stressing that the focus should now be on commissioning completed projects rather than holding more groundbreaking ceremonies.

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 will significantly improve patient care by eliminating hospitals’ dependence on emergency generators and ensuring uninterrupted operation of critical medical equipment.

Tegbe also assured stakeholders that the Ministry of Power would continue to prioritise funding for the initiative while ensuring transparency and value for money in project execution.

Announcing the decisions of the committee, Salako said members approved a financing framework designed to mobilise public and private investments for healthcare electrification. The committee also adopted a facility energy management framework requiring participating hospitals to establish sustainable systems for managing their power infrastructure.

He disclosed that eight private-sector proposals were approved for further engagement from about 70 submissions received during the National Healthcare Electrification Investor Matchmaking Week held in Lagos.

Salako further revealed that Energy Management Teams have already been established in federal tertiary hospitals, while state governments are being encouraged to replicate the model. He added that the initiative will now be institutionalised through dedicated budgetary provisions and the establishment of a full-time Project Coordination Unit to drive implementation.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Power, Mahmud Mamman, stressed that reliable electricity is indispensable to quality healthcare delivery, noting that it powers life-saving medical equipment, preserves vaccines, supports laboratory services and strengthens emergency response systems.

He described the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative as a landmark partnership between government, development partners and the private sector to address one of the most critical infrastructure challenges confronting Nigeria’s health sector.

The Federal Government said the initiative reflects its commitment to making reliable electricity a cornerstone of healthcare delivery under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, recognising that quality healthcare depends not only on skilled personnel and modern equipment but also on dependable power supply.