The Federal Government of Nigeria plans to host a national stakeholders’ dialogue to address the challenges of high energy costs and unreliable power supply in Federal Tertiary Health Institutions across the country. The effectiveness of this dialogue in producing concrete solutions remains to be seen.
Dr. Iziaq Salako, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, announced the dialogue during a press briefing in Abuja. He also announced the inauguration of a committee responsible for organizing the event.
The Minister emphasized the urgency of the dialogue, citing electricity shortages and escalating energy costs that are negatively impacting healthcare delivery. While the Federal Government has implemented initiatives such as a 50% electricity subsidy for public hospitals and the installation of solar-powered mini-grids in select health facilities, these measures have not fully resolved the problem.
“Despite these interventions, the challenges persist, underscoring the need for a complete overhaul of our current models for power generation and distribution to hospitals,” Dr. Salako said. “This requires a collaborative, whole-of-government approach, as the issues extend beyond the health sector.”
The Minister noted that addressing the issue requires a multi-sectoral approach, as the challenges are interlinked with broader sectors.
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Dr. Alausa highlighted the inconsistent implementation of alternative energy solutions in some tertiary hospitals. He noted that these solutions often lack a unified policy framework and have led to issues such as fire hazards, battery failures in solar systems, theft of energy infrastructure, and poor maintenance of energy facilities.
“We can no longer accept the status quo as hospitals face crippling energy bills,” Dr. Alausa stressed. “It’s time for innovative, smart energy solutions that can ease the financial burden and improve the overall healthcare system.”
The upcoming national dialogue will focus on:
- Evaluating Nigeria’s energy policies as they pertain to the power needs of public health facilities, with insights drawn from other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
- Assessing the current power challenges faced by hospitals and generating practical, actionable solutions.
- Exploring sustainable energy solutions, including renewable energy options like solar power.
In February 2025, Abba Aliyu, Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), announced the Federal Government’s plan to install solar mini-grids in public institutions nationwide under the National Public Sector Solarisation Initiative. This initiative aims to reduce governance costs by providing reliable, affordable, and climate-friendly power to government institutions, including hospitals. The success of this initiative will depend on effective implementation and sustained maintenance.
The planned dialogues and initiatives represent an effort to alleviate the burden of high energy costs and power shortages and improve the operational capacity of Nigeria’s healthcare system. The extent to which these efforts will achieve their intended outcomes remains to be seen.
