Nigeria has unveiled an ambitious plan to solve chronic electricity shortages in its healthcare system, calling on private investors, development finance institutions and energy providers to participate in a nationwide health electrification programme.
The initiative was highlighted at the National Healthcare Electrification Investor Matchmaking Forum held on Monday, June 15, 2026, at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, where the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described reliable electricity as essential to modern healthcare delivery.
The programme, driven through the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative, is designed to attract large-scale private sector financing and technical expertise to address long-standing energy gaps affecting hospitals across the country. It has received federal backing under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Officials warned that unstable power supply continues to disrupt critical medical services, including surgeries, oxygen supply, diagnostic procedures, vaccine storage and emergency care, placing pressure on health outcomes nationwide.
To address this, the initiative introduces an Energy-as-a-Service model, allowing private energy companies to finance, install and manage power systems in health facilities, while medical institutions focus entirely on healthcare delivery. The model is expected to improve efficiency, reduce downtime and ensure long-term sustainability.
The rollout will begin with federal tertiary hospitals before expanding to secondary and primary healthcare facilities across Nigeria, using a blended financing approach that combines government support, concessional funding, climate finance and private capital.
Implementation is being coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare through a structured governance system that includes inter-ministerial committees, technical teams and a dedicated project secretariat.
The Ministry also acknowledged support from UK PACT and Landell Mills International, which helped design the framework guiding implementation.
Held in Lagos at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, the forum was described as a key step toward building a structured investment pipeline for sustainable healthcare energy solutions.
Dr. Salako urged investors, banks and energy developers to take advantage of the opportunity, noting that healthcare electrification sits at the intersection of health security, climate action and economic development.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for investment, stressing that the ultimate goal is reliable, sustainable electricity across all healthcare facilities in Nigeria.