FG plans national dialogue to tackle high energy costs, power shortages in tertiary hospitals 

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, where he also inaugurated a committee to organize the proposed dialogue, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Dr. Salako emphasized that the dialogue has become imperative due to the severe electricity deficits and escalating energy expenses crippling healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

He noted that while the Federal Government has implemented interventions such as a 50% electricity subsidy for public hospitals and the deployment of solar-powered mini-grids in select facilities, these measures have not sufficiently resolved the problem.

“These initiatives have, however, not been able to substantially address the challenges, thus the need for an urgent rethinking of our traditional models of power generation and supply to hospitals. 

“Indeed, the current situation requires a collaborative whole-of-government approach as we work across sectors to resolve many challenging issues that are beyond the purview of the health sector,” the minister stated.

He stressed that resolving the issue requires a multi-sectoral approach, as many of the challenges extend beyond the health sector.

While some tertiary health institutions have adopted alternative energy solutions, Dr. Alausa observed that these efforts are often uncoordinated and lack a comprehensive policy framework.

He also raised concerns over recurring issues such as fire outbreaks linked to faulty power installations, battery failures in solar power systems, theft of energy infrastructure, and poor maintenance of power facilities.

“We can no longer afford business as usual in the face of mounting energy bills for our hospitals. 

“The time has come for all hands to be on deck to relieve our hospitals of the burden of the prohibitive cost of power supply, which gulps hundreds of millions of Naira monthly. 

“This is the time to be creative and innovative as we move to develop and adopt smart energy solutions. 

“These solutions will strengthen our health system and empower us to deliver on our core mandate of improving population health outcomes,” he stated.

The proposed dialogue aims to:

In February 2025, the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Aliyu, announced FG’s plans to install solar mini-grids in public institutions across Nigeria, under the National Public Sector Solarisation Initiative, which aims to reduce the cost of governance by cutting expenditure.

Under the scheme, the REA will commence the electrification project to provide a reliable, cost-effective, and climate-friendly power supply to government institutions, including hospitals.

Under the scheme, the REA will commence the electrification project to provide a reliable, cost-effective, and climate-friendly power supply to government institutions, including hospitals.