By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
STRONGER COLLABORATION between Nigeria’s power and health sectors came under focus at the First National Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Power in the Health Sector, as the Federal Ministry of Power announced new measures to ensure reliable electricity supply across hospitals and healthcare facilities nationwide.
The event, described as a landmark engagement, provided an opportunity for ministries, development partners, and private stakeholders to chart a unified path towards integrating sustainable power solutions with healthcare delivery.
Officials stated that reliable energy remains essential for quality medical services, from rural primary health centres to urban teaching hospitals.
Declaring the dialogue open, the Ministry of Power underscored the need to dismantle the siloed approach to development and instead pursue joint strategies that connect health, energy, and other key sectors.
It said the dialogue demonstrates Nigeria’s readiness to approach development differently, by prioritising collaboration, cooperation, and partnership.
The ministry noted that the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu identifies access to power and access to healthcare as top national priorities.
Powering healthcare, it said, advances both goals simultaneously by strengthening human capital development, infrastructure renewal, and social inclusion.
Officials highlighted the Electricity Act, 2023, which decentralised the sector and provided for subnational participation.
They explained that the Federal Ministry of Power, in line with this mandate, has developed the National Integrated Electricity Policy (NIEP) and Strategic Implementation Plan (NIEP-SIP).
The frameworks, they said, establish a roadmap for building a resilient, cost-effective, and sustainable power sector, aligned with Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan targeting net-zero emissions by 2060.
According to the ministry, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) is already deploying solar hybrid mini-grids, standalone solar home systems, and other renewable solutions to electrify hundreds of healthcare centres.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, REA deployed 50kW solar mini-grids to about 100 health facilities, ensuring uninterrupted power supply for vaccine storage, critical services, and medical staff.
Further interventions under the Energizing Education Programme have extended hybrid power systems to teaching hospitals.
The ministry confirmed that a 12MW installation has been commissioned at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, alongside a 7MW system at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital.
These deployments, it said, not only guarantee reliable power for medical operations but also separate clinical electricity needs from residential and commercial usage within hospital premises, supported by accurate metering systems.
The ministry explained that the hybrid power model reduces costs by combining renewable energy with grid supply, while shielding hospitals from the instability and high expenses associated with diesel generators and unreliable grid electricity.
With stable and predictable energy expenditure, hospitals can sustain critical medical operations such as emergency services, cold storage for essential medicines, maternal and child health care, and night-time surgical procedures, it said.
Officials further reported that the initiatives have already delivered measurable results, with functional vaccine storage in rural communities, enhanced maternal and child health outcomes, and improved emergency response in previously off-grid locations.
They stated that these outcomes demonstrate the scalability of renewable energy projects for health facilities across the country.
The Federal Ministry of Power reaffirmed its commitment, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, to ensure that no hospital, diagnostic laboratory, or primary health centre is left in darkness.
Plans include scaling up renewable energy deployment, expanding grid connections, and strengthening financing structures that blend public funding with private and donor contributions.
The ministry also emphasised that sustained policy support and institutionalised collaboration will be essential to attract investment and maintain long-term health-sector electrification.
Officials also said the task ahead is both urgent and achievable, stressing that powering health facilities is about powering hope, dignity, and the future of the nation.
The dialogue concluded with appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his leadership in driving sustainable development, and to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, development partners, and stakeholders for supporting the initiative.
Participants were urged to leave with renewed determination to implement policies and projects that guarantee reliable electricity in every health facility across Nigeria.
