By Olakunle oke
The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has called on local and international investors to embrace sustainable financing models to accelerate the electrification of healthcare facilities across Nigeria.
Tegbe made the appeal at the National Healthcare Electrification Investor Matchmaking Forum held in Lagos under the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative (NPHI), according to a statement issued on Tuesday by Mr. Clement Ezeorah, Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Power.
The forum was convened by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with UK PACT and hosted by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako.
The event brought together representatives of federal and state governments, chief medical directors, development partners and private sector leaders to explore investment opportunities in healthcare electrification.
Speaking at the forum, Tegbe described Nigeria’s power sector as one of the most attractive investment destinations on the African continent, stressing that reliable electricity is a critical component of quality healthcare delivery.
He commended the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for convening the forum and reaffirmed his commitment to the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative, which he said aligns with ongoing power sector reforms and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to the minister, the initiative presents an opportunity to integrate energy planning into health infrastructure development through the deployment of grid enhancement projects, renewable energy systems and hybrid power solutions tailored to healthcare facilities.
“The initiative is also aimed at strengthening coordination between power sector institutions, health authorities, regulators and private sector partners,” he said.
Tegbe noted that Nigeria has more than 35,000 registered healthcare facilities across primary, secondary and tertiary levels, describing them as a substantial pipeline of bankable projects capable of attracting investment into solar mini-grids, hybrid energy systems, battery storage and energy-efficiency technologies.
He assured investors that the Federal Government would provide strong policy support and inter-ministerial coordination to ensure the success of the initiative.
The minister said the Ministry of Power had already demonstrated its commitment through the deployment of solar mini-grids and hybrid systems in healthcare facilities under the World Bank-funded Nigeria Electrification Project.
He added that the Electricity Act provides a robust regulatory framework for licensing mini-grid operators, structuring Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and facilitating state-level participation in electricity projects.
Tegbe said the initiative supports the Federal Government’s vision of positioning Nigeria as Africa’s preferred destination for quality healthcare while improving energy access in critical public institutions.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to delivering measurable improvements in the power sector, particularly within health facilities, and thanked investors and development partners for their confidence in Nigeria’s economic future.
In his remarks, Salako described the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative as a significant shift from donor-funded infrastructure projects to a sustainable Energy-as-a-Service model.
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He explained that under the framework, specialised energy providers would finance, deploy and maintain reliable power systems for healthcare facilities, helping to address e
nergy deficits affecting operating theatres, diagnostic centres, cold-chain systems and emergency care services.
Salako said the initiative is built on blended financing, institutional readiness and national scalability, with an initial focus on federal tertiary hospitals before expansion to primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities nationwide.
He added that a new governance structure had been established to drive implementation and unlock private sector investment in healthcare electrification.
