The Federal Government has inaugurated a 24-member Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC) to champion the implementation of the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative (NPHI), to foster a reliable and sustainable electricity supply to health facilities across the country.

According to reports, the initiative targets 30 per cent renewable-powered healthcare delivery nationwide by the end of 2027, as part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s health system and improve service delivery.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony on Tuesday in Abuja, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described the NPHI as a key pillar of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s health and human capital development agenda.

Salako explained that the newly inaugurated committee would provide the technical backbone needed to translate political commitment into concrete and measurable outcomes in the health sector.

Dr Salako reiterated that the NPHI process commenced in March 2025 with a national stakeholders’ dialogue involving government agencies, private sector players and development partners.

According to him, the dialogue culminated in a communiqué that received presidential approval, followed by the establishment of an Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee to provide political oversight.

The IATC, he said, would now ensure technical rigour, effective coordination and long-term sustainability.

“The technical committee is where the real work happens. Without energy, our health facilities cannot function effectively from vaccine storage and laboratory services to surgeries, emergency care and deliveries in labour rooms,” the minister said.

He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring that by 2027, no fewer than 30 per cent of Nigeria’s health facilities operate on uninterrupted and clean energy sources, including solar, gas-powered and other renewable solutions. He noted that the goal was critical to reducing preventable deaths, improving maternal and child health outcomes, restoring public confidence in the health system and curbing medical tourism.

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Dr Salako also acknowledged the support of development partners, particularly the World Bank and the Global Fund, describing their contributions as crucial to scaling up investments and technical assistance under the initiative.

Also speaking, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alhaji Mahmuda Mamman, said the inauguration of the committee marked a decisive step towards integrating energy planning into health sector infrastructure.

The Minister stressed that reliable electricity remained fundamental to quality healthcare delivery, diagnostics, emergency services and safe working conditions for health professionals.

Adelabu disclosed that the Ministry of Power had already deployed solar mini-grids and hybrid power systems to several health facilities under the World Bank-funded Nigeria Electrification Project, and pledged sustained technical and policy support to ensure the success of the NPHI.

“The Nigeria Power for Health Initiative aligns with ongoing power sector reforms and offers an opportunity to deploy grid enhancements, renewable and hybrid solutions tailored to health facilities, while strengthening coordination across ministries, regulators and the private sector,” he said.

In their remarks, the co-chairs of the Inter-Agency Technical Committee, Dr Babatunde Ipaye and Engineer Owolabi Sunday of the Federal Ministry of Power, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and the leadership of the Ministries of Health and Power for the confidence placed in the committee.

They pledged to ensure that energy supply becomes a solid foundation for ongoing health sector reforms, including primary healthcare revitalisation, maternal and child health programmes and cancer care initiatives.

Under its terms of reference, the IATC will lead technical activities for the sustainable electrification of health facilities, develop a national action plan, review project proposals, engage stakeholders, conduct technical analyses and submit quarterly reports to the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee.