The Federal Government has stepped up efforts to attract private and international investment into Nigeria’s healthcare sector, with the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, describing the electrification of more than 35,000 health facilities across the country as one of the largest and most promising energy investment opportunities in Africa.
Speaking at the National Healthcare Electrification Investor Matchmaking Forum in Lagos, organised under the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative (NPHI), Tegbe called on investors to support innovative and sustainable financing solutions aimed at addressing the persistent energy challenges confronting healthcare institutions nationwide.
The forum, convened by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with UK PACT, brought together government officials, development partners, healthcare administrators and private-sector stakeholders to explore strategies for mobilising capital into healthcare electrification projects.
Tegbe stressed that reliable electricity is fundamental to effective healthcare delivery, noting that access to power has evolved beyond a basic infrastructure requirement to become a critical factor in patient care, emergency response and the overall efficiency of medical facilities.
The minister, who described himself as an early supporter of the initiative before his appointment, reaffirmed his commitment to its implementation, saying the programme aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and ongoing reforms in the power sector.
According to him, Nigeria’s network of over 35,000 registered primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities presents significant opportunities for investment in solar mini-grids, hybrid energy systems, battery storage solutions, smart metering technologies and climate-resilient infrastructure.
“The opportunity before investors is significant and scalable,” Tegbe said, adding that healthcare electrification offers sustainable commercial returns while delivering substantial social and economic benefits.
He assured investors of the Federal Government’s commitment to providing policy support, regulatory certainty and effective inter-ministerial coordination to reduce investment risks and facilitate project implementation.
Tegbe disclosed that similar interventions are already being executed through the World Bank-supported Nigeria Electrification Project, which has deployed solar mini-grids and hybrid power solutions in healthcare facilities across the country.
He further highlighted the Electricity Act as a strong regulatory framework that supports power purchase agreements, mini-grid development and greater participation by state governments in electricity generation and distribution projects.
The minister said the long-term objective is to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and position Nigeria as a leading destination for quality healthcare services on the African continent.
Also speaking at the forum, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative as a transformative shift from donor-dependent interventions to a commercially sustainable Energy-as-a-Service model.
Under the proposed framework, specialised energy providers will finance, install and maintain electricity infrastructure for healthcare facilities, removing one of the most persistent barriers to efficient healthcare delivery.
Salako noted that inadequate power supply continues to disrupt critical hospital operations, including surgical procedures, diagnostic services, vaccine cold-chain management and emergency care.
He explained that the initiative is anchored on blended financing mechanisms, institutional readiness and scalability, with the first phase focused on federal tertiary hospitals before expanding to primary and secondary healthcare facilities nationwide.
According to the minister, a dedicated governance structure has already been established to oversee implementation, strengthen investor confidence and facilitate greater private-sector participation in the healthcare energy market.
The government’s renewed drive is expected to unlock substantial private investment in clean energy infrastructure while addressing one of the healthcare sector’s most enduring challenges, creating what stakeholders describe as a potentially multi-billion-dollar market for energy developers and infrastructure financiers.
