By Mercy Gadia Adi
In a decisive step to end decades of crippling power outages in the nation’s hospitals, the Federal Government on Monday inaugurated the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee (IMSC) of the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative (NPHI)—a flagship programme designed to guarantee uninterrupted, sustainable electricity supply across health facilities nationwide.
At the ceremony held at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described the initiative as “a critical intervention to address an emergency that has long undermined health outcomes.”
“Energy insufficiency in hospitals has become an emergency and a major disrupter of health services in our country. No Nigerian should be left in the dark while seeking healthcare,” he said, stressing that electricity is a fundamental pillar of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and a determinant of patient survival.
The initiative is an outcome of the National Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Power in the Health Sector convened in September, whose communiqué was transmitted to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The President subsequently approved the establishment of a national coordination mechanism to address energy gaps in the health system.
Salako said the NPHI will be implemented through four structures: The Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee chaired by the Minister of State for Health, with the Minister of Power as Co-Chair; an Inter-Agency Technical Committee; a Project Delivery Unit; and Facility Energy Management Committees at the hospital level.
Designed as a full inter-ministerial and public-private collaboration between the Ministries of Health and Power, the initiative seeks to harmonise fragmented electrification efforts, deploy sustainable power systems, strengthen governance, mobilise financing, and drive accountability in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).
Calling the task “life-saving”, Salako said the work of the committee would prevent needless deaths associated with power failures during critical procedures.
“This is a call to duty to save women and children from dying due to power cuts in the midst of life-saving procedures,” he warned. “Every health worker deserves equipment that works, and every citizen deserves care delivered in a powered, functional facility.”
Formally inaugurating the committee on behalf of President Tinubu, Salako said: “On behalf of Mr President and Commander-in-Chief, I hereby inaugurate the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee of the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative.”
In his remarks, Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, underscored the centrality of electricity to national development, warning that “no critical sector, including health, can function effectively without reliable and sustainable power.”
Adelabu highlighted reforms under the Electricity Act 2023, which decentralised the sector and opened the space for states, local governments and private investors. He also cited progress in generation—from 13GW to 14GW in two years—and ongoing transmission upgrades under the Presidential Power Initiative (Siemens Project), which he said have reduced grid disturbances in 2025.
He noted that Nigeria’s energy transition strategy, alongside abundant solar, wind, hydro and gas resources, provides a strong foundation to electrify rural and underserved communities where many primary healthcare centres are located.
Responding to journalists, both Ministers affirmed that the NPHI signposts the Tinubu administration’s commitment to inter-sectoral collaboration as a tool for systemic transformation. A two-year target has been set for the first phase, with the ambition of securing reliable power in at least 50 per cent of health facilities nationwide.
“This is about more than lighting up buildings; it is about empowering our health system to save lives,” Adelabu said.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, described the initiative as evidence that recent national dialogues were more than “talk shows,” but catalysts for structural reform.
“As members of this committee, you were carefully selected to provide strategic direction and foster the partnerships needed to power health facilities, support innovation and build system resilience,” she said. “Our vision is a Nigeria where no patient suffers due to lack of electricity.”
With support from development partners, including the World Bank, and engagement from private investors, the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative is expected to cover primary, secondary and tertiary facilities public and private—ensuring long-term sustainability of energy systems that power healthcare delivery.