The World Bank has reaffirmed that reliable electricity supply is the backbone of resilient healthcare delivery in Nigeria, warning that without clean and stable power, the country cannot achieve its health and development goals.
Speaking at the first National Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Power in the Health Sector held in Abuja on Tuesday, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Mr. Mathew Verghis, represented by Vinay Vurukutu, stressed that sustainable energy is central to saving lives, improving patient care, and reducing maternal and infant mortality rates.
Themed “Powering Health through Public-Private Synergy: Energising Nigeria’s Health Sector for the Future,” the two-day dialogue brought together policymakers, health professionals, private sector players, and development partners to chart new pathways for powering Nigeria’s health institutions.
Verghis highlighted three major World Bank-supported initiatives currently transforming healthcare power access in Nigeria:
Nigeria Electrification Programme (NEP): This project has already provided electricity to 100 health centres across all 36 states and two teaching hospitals, demonstrating measurable improvements in service delivery.
IMPACT Project: A $650 million credit facility aimed at improving immunisation, maternal and child health. The programme is deploying renewable energy solutions to over 2,000 primary healthcare centres nationwide.
DARES Project: A $750 million initiative scaling up access to electricity through distributed solar rooftop systems. This programme is being piloted in Lagos State, with expansion plans to other regions.
According to Verghis, early results from these interventions show better working conditions for medical staff, improved patient access, and significant reductions in infant and maternal deaths.
“The World Bank remains committed to supporting Nigeria in transforming today’s power challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities for every citizen,” he said.
Nigeria’s healthcare system has long struggled with unreliable electricity.
Hospitals and clinics frequently depend on diesel generators, which drive up operating costs and limit the ability to provide uninterrupted care, particularly during emergencies.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Mr. Mahmuda Mamman, admitted that unreliable electricity is one of the most critical threats to effective healthcare delivery.
“Power shortages delay essential procedures, compromise patient safety, and increase costs,” Mamman said.
He outlined key government initiatives, including the Nigerian Energy Transition Plan, decentralised solar mini-grids, rural electrification programmes, and public building efficiency schemes aimed at delivering uninterrupted, clean, and affordable power to health institutions.
The dialogue also featured the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ms. Daju Kachollom, who stressed that access to reliable energy goes beyond infrastructure.
“Power in health is not just an infrastructure issue, it’s a matter of life, dignity, and hope,” she declared.
She further announced that the meeting would produce a multi-stakeholder compact, a historic agreement uniting government, development partners, civil society, the private sector, and innovators in a shared mission to ensure that “no health facility in Nigeria is left in the dark.”
Experts say that Nigeria’s challenges are not unique.
Across Africa, more than 60% of healthcare facilities lack reliable electricity, according to the World Health Organization.
This has hindered vaccine storage, emergency response, and surgical operations in rural communities.
For Nigeria, with its large population and overstretched health infrastructure, investing in climate-smart energy solutions is vital.
Renewable energy—particularly solar—offers a sustainable pathway to bridging the power gap, cutting costs, and enhancing resilience.
Stakeholders agreed that the next phase should focus on:
Innovative financing to attract private capital into healthcare electrification.
Scaling up renewable solutions, especially in rural areas.
Strengthening governance and monitoring to ensure projects deliver long-term impact.
Creating partnerships between power developers and health service providers.
As Nigeria continues its health and energy reforms, the World Bank and local ministries say the ultimate goal is to create a healthcare system where every patient, regardless of location, can receive timely and quality care without the risk of power failure.
