The Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered urgent and sustained measures to address electricity challenges in the nation’s health institutions.
President Tinubu gave the directive at the first Stakeholders Dialogue on Power in the Health Sector in Abuja, themed “Synergy: Energizing Nigeria’s Health Sector for the Future.”
The dialogue brought together senior government officials, private sector leaders, and development partners to chart sustainable energy pathways for hospitals nationwide.
Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the President emphasised that his administration would provide the political will needed to drive reforms and ensure uninterrupted electricity supply in surgical theatres, maternity wards, intensive care units, and emergency rooms across the country.
He said; “This national dialogue must not be a mere talkshop. It must yield actionable outcomes, from comprehensive energy audits and financing mechanisms to accountability frameworks.
“The success of this initiative will be measured not by speeches but by uninterrupted light in hospitals, functioning equipment, and renewed public confidence in our healthcare system. Outages must end. Lives are at stake. We must act now.”
President Tinubu explained that the Renewed Hope Agenda prioritises decentralised and sustainable energy solutions, including off-grid solar and hybrid systems, while encouraging private sector participation.
According to him, energy security in hospitals is not just an infrastructure issue but a matter of life and death.
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Minister of State for Health, Dr. Isiaq Salako, described it as an emergency, noting that many hospitals spend between ₦20 million and ₦180 million monthly on electricity, with fuel costs consuming nearly half of their budgets.
He cited surveys showing that 40 percent of primary health centres have no electricity, while those on the national grid receive an average of only 10 hours daily.
“This scenario has disrupted services, compromised treatment, and led to needless loss of lives. Energy supply is now an emergency we must urgently address if the reforms and investments in health are to succeed,” Salako warned.
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, pointed to progress already achieved through solar hybrid systems at institutions such as the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (12MW) and University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (7MW).
He said renewable energy had proven vital during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring uninterrupted power for vaccines and emergency care.
Meanwhile, development partners pledged continued support.
The World Bank, represented by Vinay Vurukutu, highlighted the $650 million IMPACT project, which has powered over 2,000 primary health centres, and the $750 million DARES initiative, which is piloting solar rooftops in Lagos hospitals.
Both projects, he noted, have already extended staff working hours, improved patient access, and reduced infant and maternal mortality.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, said that the dialogue would produce a compact to guarantee that no health facility in Nigeria is left in darkness, reaffirming that sustainable power is central to resilient healthcare delivery.
Hauwa Abu