Federal Government has stepped up efforts to deliver reliable electricity across Nigeria’s health facilities, advancing key measures under the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative (NPHI) to strengthen governance, accelerate implementation and improve healthcare delivery nationwide.
At its Third Meeting, the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee (IMSC) on the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative, jointly chaired by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, and the Minister of Power, Mr. Joseph Tegbe, advanced a series of measures to strengthen implementation of the Initiative.
Established by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2025, the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative is a strategic collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Federal Ministry of Power. The Initiative advances the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), particularly the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening governance through coordinated leadership, strategic partnerships and sustainable implementation to improve health outcomes.
As part of efforts to accelerate implementation, the Committee approved recommendations for the establishment of a dedicated Nigeria Power for Health Initiative Programme Unit within the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to strengthen coordination and drive delivery. The recommendation will be presented to the 2026 National Council on Health for consideration and adoption.
The Committee also approved continued engagement with eight identified energy solution providers and prioritised cluster institutions as energy hubs to accelerate the deployment of reliable and sustainable electricity across Federal tertiary health institutions.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Dr. Salako said the Federal Government is deliberately strengthening the governance, partnerships and delivery systems required to expand healthcare electrification nationwide.
He noted that interventions by the Rural Electrification Agency have already provided reliable electricity to about 100 hospitals across the country, while development partners continue to complement government efforts, particularly at the primary healthcare level.
The Minister reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s target of ensuring that at least 30 per cent of health facilities nationwide have access to reliable 24-hour electricity by the end of 2027, noting that the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative provides the national platform for mobilising investments, coordinating implementation and ensuring that reliable electricity becomes an integral part of safe, quality and uninterrupted healthcare delivery.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom S. mni, said the Initiative exemplifies the Ministry’s commitment under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative to strengthening governance and building resilient systems that support better health outcomes.
She emphasised that sustained collaboration, institutional coordination and timely implementation remain critical to ensuring that reliable electricity becomes a standard feature of quality healthcare delivery across Nigeria.
The meeting was attended by members of the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee, representatives of relevant government agencies, development partners and other key stakeholders, underscoring the whole-of-government and multi-sector collaboration driving the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative.
