The Federal Government has inaugurated 24-members Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC) to fast-track the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative (NPHI), a flagship programme designed to guarantee reliable electricity in health facilities nationwide and ensure that at least 30 per cent of healthcare delivery is powered by renewable energy by 2027.
Inaugurating the committee on Tuesday in Abuja, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described the initiative as a critical component of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s health and human capital development agenda, noting that stable power supply is central to functional and life-saving healthcare services.
Dr. Salako said the IATC would provide the technical backbone needed to translate high-level political commitments into measurable outcomes, stressing that the success of the health sector depends largely on dependable energy for services such as vaccine storage, surgeries, diagnostics and emergency care.
He explained that the NPHI process began in March 2025 with a national stakeholders’ dialogue involving government agencies, development partners and the private sector, which produced a communiqué later approved by President Tinubu. While an Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee has since provided political direction, he said the newly inaugurated IATC would ensure technical rigour, coordination and long-term sustainability.
“The technical committee is where the real work happens. Without energy, our health facilities cannot function effectively. Your role is to ensure that every intervention is technically sound, relevant and sustainable,” Salako said.
The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to achieving uninterrupted and clean power supply in health facilities through solar, gas-powered and other renewable energy solutions, noting that the target is crucial to reducing preventable deaths, improving maternal and child health outcomes, restoring public confidence in the health system and curbing medical tourism.
He also acknowledged the support of development partners, particularly the World Bank and the Global Fund, describing their contributions as vital to expanding investment and technical assistance for the initiative.
Earlier, the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Power, Mamuda Mamman, said the inauguration of the IATC marked a decisive shift towards integrating energy planning into health infrastructure development.
He noted that the Power Ministry had already deployed solar mini-grids and hybrid systems to several health facilities under the World Bank-funded Nigeria Electrification Project, and pledged continued technical and policy support to ensure the success of the NPHI.
“The Nigeria Power for Health Initiative aligns with ongoing power sector reforms and provides an opportunity to deploy grid enhancements and renewable solutions tailored to the unique needs of health facilities,” Adelabu said.
Co-chairs of the committee, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye and Engineer Owolabi Sunday, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and the leadership of the Ministries of Health and Power for the confidence placed in the members, pledging to deliver results that will make energy the foundation of ongoing health sector reforms.
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According to its terms of reference, the IATC will develop a national action plan for the electrification of health facilities, review project proposals, conduct technical analyses, engage stakeholders and submit quarterly reports to the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee.
The Federal Government said progress under the initiative would be closely monitored and regularly reported to the President, underscoring the administration’s resolve to deliver reliable, clean power for quality healthcare across Nigeria.
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