Nigeria: FG Approves Financing Framework to Accelerate Electrification of Health Facilities
[This Day] 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 Federal Government of Nigeria has approved a financing framework to fast-track the electrification of health facilities across the country, addressing the chronic power supply issues plaguing hospitals. This decision emerged from the third meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee (IMSC) for the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative (NPHI), a presidential programme jointly overseen by the Federal Ministries of Power and Health and Social Welfare.
The initiative aims to ensure reliable electricity to at least 30 percent of Nigeria’s health facilities by the end of 2027.
During the meeting, chaired by Dr Isiaq Salako, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, and co-chaired by Joseph Tegbe, Minister of Power, officials pledged a shift from mere announcements to tangible project execution. Tegbe highlighted that the NPHI, one of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s key initiatives, should now focus on delivering completed projects to the public, moving beyond mere ceremonies.
He stressed the importance of fully energizing teaching hospitals, state hospitals, and primary healthcare centers, noting that the Rural Electrification Agency has already powered 5 Federal Teaching Hospitals and numerous other facilities nationwide.
The initiative also ties directly to improved patient outcomes, as dependable power would eliminate hospitals’ reliance on emergency generators. Additionally, the IMSC approved a financing framework to attract investment for healthcare electrification and a facility energy management framework mandating participating hospitals to establish sustainable energy management systems.
Eight private sector proposals, out of 70 received during the National Healthcare Electrification Investor Matchmaking Week in Lagos, were approved for further engagement.
Facilities are already being geared up with Energy Management Teams at federal tertiary hospitals, and state governments are encouraged to establish similar structures. The initiative will be institutionalized through dedicated budgetary provisions and a full-time Project Coordination Unit to oversee ongoing implementation. Mahmud Mamman, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Power, emphasized the critical role of uninterrupted electricity in powering critical medical equipment, preserving vaccines, supporting laboratories, and enhancing emergency response systems.
The NPHI is seen as a landmark collaboration, bringing together government, development partners, and the private sector to tackle a significant infrastructure challenge in the health sector, aligning with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes functional healthcare tied to reliable power supply.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
