By Babatunji Wusu| The Federal Government has unveiled plans to provide uninterrupted electricity to about 30 per cent of Nigeria’s health institutions by the end of 2027 as part of efforts to transform the country into a leading destination for quality healthcare in Africa.
The initiative was announced at the National Healthcare Electrification Investor Matchmaking Forum in Lagos under the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative (NPHI). The programme aims to deliver reliable and clean energy to healthcare facilities through technical collaboration, innovative financing and strategic public-private partnerships.
Officials at the event highlighted the need for the healthcare electrification programme, noting that Nigeria loses an estimated $2 billion annually to medical tourism. Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) also showed that spending on medical-related travel rose to $684.72 million in 2025, representing a 6.5 per cent increase from the previous year.
Minister of Power Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe stressed that stable electricity is essential to improving healthcare delivery and reducing medical tourism.
“You cannot run a modern hospital without electricity. Every clean kilowatt we deliver to a health facility is a step toward restoring Nigeria’s confidence in our healthcare system.
That confidence, once restored, is an asset that cannot be priced,” he said.
Tegbe explained that the healthcare electrification programme aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and is designed to improve healthcare outcomes while strengthening the economy. He added that discussions with investors and developers are already underway to ensure affordable and sustainable implementation.
According to the minister, the Ministries of Power and Health have worked together for more than a year to advance the initiative. The government plans to prioritise teaching hospitals and major healthcare centres before extending coverage to approximately 35,000 registered health facilities nationwide.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Izaq Adekunle Salako, described the project as a practical example of inter-ministerial cooperation. He noted that power outages have disrupted critical medical procedures in the past, making the healthcare electrification programme vital to improving patient care and saving lives.
