FG Inaugurates Inter-Ministerial Committee to End Blackouts in Hospitals

The Federal Government has inaugurated the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee of the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative (NPHI), a major step aimed at ensuring uninterrupted and sustainable electricity supply across health facilities in the country.

The committee was inaugurated on Monday in Abuja by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, who described the initiative as a critical intervention to address the longstanding challenge of energy insufficiency in hospitals and improve health outcomes nationwide.

Dr. Salako expressed that reliable electricity remains a fundamental component of effective healthcare delivery, noting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the initiative following recommendations from the National Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Power in the Health Sector held earlier in the year.

He explained that the NPHI will operate through a coordinated framework involving the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee, an Inter-Agency Technical Committee, a Project Delivery Unit, and Facility Energy Management Committees to drive implementation across all levels of care.

The Minister emphasised that the initiative is designed to strengthen governance, mobilise partnerships, deploy sustainable energy solutions, and prevent avoidable loss of lives due to power failure, particularly during emergency and life-saving medical procedures.

“This is a call to duty to save women and children from dying due to power cuts in the midst of life-saving procedures. No Nigerian should be left in the dark while seeking healthcare,” he said.

“As a signal of commitment at the highest level, Mr President approved the establishment of the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative, and today’s inauguration marks the beginning of its full implementation,” he added.

Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, affirmed that the initiative aligns with national power sector reforms and Nigeria’s energy transition plan, stressing that reliable electricity is essential for a functional health system and that the government aims to deliver sustainable power to at least 50 per cent of health facilities within the next two years.