By Mercy Gadia Adi
The Federal Government has inaugurated a 24-member Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC) to drive the implementation of the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative (NPHI), a flagship programme aimed at delivering reliable and sustainable electricity to health facilities nationwide.
The initiative targets at least 30 per cent renewable-powered healthcare delivery by the end of 2027.
Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described the initiative as a key component of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s health and human capital development agenda.
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He said the technical committee would provide the expertise required to translate government commitments into concrete outcomes, noting that reliable energy supply remains central to effective healthcare delivery.
According to Salako, the NPHI process commenced in March 2025 with a national stakeholders’ dialogue involving government agencies, private sector operators and development partners, culminating in a communiqué approved by President Tinubu.
He explained that while an Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee had already been established to provide political oversight, the newly inaugurated IATC would ensure technical coordination, rigour and sustainability.
“The technical committee is where the real work happens. Without energy, our health facilities cannot function effectively, from vaccine storage to surgeries, emergency care and childbirth services,” he said.
Salako reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that by 2027, at least 30 per cent of health facilities operate on uninterrupted and clean energy, including solar, gas-powered and other renewable solutions.
He added that the target was critical to reducing preventable deaths, improving maternal and child health outcomes, restoring public confidence in the health system and curbing medical tourism.
The minister also acknowledged the support of development partners, particularly the World Bank and the Global Fund, describing their contributions as crucial to scaling investment and technical assistance for the initiative.
Earlier, the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Mahmuda Mamman, said the inauguration of the committee marked a significant step towards integrating energy planning into health infrastructure development.
He noted that the ministry had already deployed solar mini-grids and hybrid systems to several health facilities under the World Bank-funded Nigeria Electrification Project, and pledged continued technical and policy support for the NPHI.
“The Nigeria Power for Health Initiative aligns with ongoing power sector reforms and provides an opportunity to deploy tailored renewable and hybrid solutions for health facilities, while strengthening inter-ministerial coordination,” Adelabu said.
In their remarks, the committee’s co-chairs, Dr Babatunde Ipaye and Engineer Owolabi Sunday, Director of Renewable and Rural Power Assets at the Federal Ministry of Power, thanked President Tinubu and the leadership of the Ministries of Health and Power for the confidence reposed in the members.
They pledged to ensure that reliable energy supply supports ongoing health sector reforms, including primary healthcare revitalisation, maternal and child health programmes and cancer care initiatives.
Under its terms of reference, the IATC will lead technical activities for the sustainable electrification of health facilities, develop a national action plan, review project proposals, engage stakeholders, conduct technical analyses and submit quarterly reports to the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee.