…Healthcare Facilities To Get Dedicated Private Power Systems
…Reform Expected To Improve Emergency Care, Service Delivery
Daud Olatunji
The Federal Government has unveiled a sweeping plan to end chronic power failure in Nigeria’s hospitals, introducing a private sector–driven model that will see healthcare facilities powered by dedicated energy systems in a bid to eliminate dependence on generators.
For years, hospitals across the country have operated under what health experts describe as a “survival-by-generator” system, where unstable electricity supply forces emergency wards, theatres, laboratories and intensive care units to rely heavily on diesel-powered alternatives—often at high financial and clinical cost.
The situation has repeatedly disrupted surgical procedures, delayed diagnostics, and in some cases worsened outcomes for critically ill patients, as sudden power outages continue to pose serious risks in life-saving environments.
Now, the government says it is shifting from fragmented interventions to a structured investment framework aimed at guaranteeing uninterrupted electricity supply in health facilities nationwide.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziak Adekunle Salako, disclosed this on Monday at the National Healthcare Electrification Investors Matchmaking Forum in Lagos under the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative.
He said the initiative marks a major policy transition from government-led repairs and donor-dependent projects to a market-driven system designed to attract long-term private investment into healthcare electrification.
Salako described a worsening situation in which unreliable electricity, frequent grid collapses, voltage instability, and escalating diesel prices have become a daily burden for health facilities.
Across Nigeria, hospitals now spend a significant portion of their operating budgets on powering generators to sustain critical services, leaving fewer resources for medicines, staffing, and essential care delivery.
Health workers have long warned that unstable electricity supply in operating theatres and intensive care units contributes to avoidable complications, especially when power cuts occur mid-procedure or during emergency interventions.
“Electricity is not merely a utility in healthcare; it is a critical driver of service delivery. When power fails, healthcare delivery stagnates,” Salako said.
The initiative, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is designed to address long-standing structural failures in past electrification efforts, which often collapsed due to poor maintenance, weak accountability, and unsustainable funding models.
Under the new framework, government will deploy an “Energy-as-a-Service” model in which private companies finance, install, operate, and maintain power systems in hospitals.
Instead of managing electricity infrastructure directly, hospitals will pay for reliable energy services, while investors recover costs through long-term, predictable revenue streams.
Officials say the model is expected to ensure accountability, improve system performance, and reduce the financial strain on government while stabilising power supply in critical health institutions.
The government said the programme will initially focus on federal tertiary hospitals before expanding to secondary and primary healthcare centres across the country, including both public and private facilities.
A governance structure involving inter-ministerial and technical committees has also been set up to oversee implementation, strengthen transparency, and build investor confidence.
Funding for the initiative is expected to come from a blended mix of public resources, development finance institutions, climate funds, concessional capital, and private sector investments.
Nigeria’s health sector has for decades struggled with unstable electricity supply, forcing hospitals into near-total reliance on generators to sustain essential services.
This dependence has been linked to disruptions in oxygen delivery systems, delays in laboratory diagnostics, interruptions in surgical procedures, and heightened risks in emergency and critical care units.
In several reported incidents over the years, sudden power outages during medical procedures have been associated with complications in maternal cases and critically ill patients—underscoring the human cost of persistent energy instability in the sector.
Salako urged investors, development finance institutions, and climate partners to participate in the initiative, describing healthcare electrification as a convergence point for health security, climate action, and economic development.
He assured that government will provide enabling policies, regulatory backing, and guarantees to support project execution and ensure sustainability.
“With the right partnerships, we can ensure that every healthcare facility in Nigeria has access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy,” he said.
If successfully implemented, the initiative could represent one of the most significant reforms in Nigeria’s healthcare system in decades, potentially ending the long-running cycle of darkness that has strained hospitals and endangered lives.
However, stakeholders caution that effective implementation, transparency, and strong oversight will determine whether the ambitious plan succeeds or repeats the failures of past interventions.
For now, Nigeria’s hospitals remain suspended between years of unreliable power supply and a new promise of steady electricity powered by private investment.
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