President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to overhaul Nigeria’s health sector, with a strong emphasis on fixing the persistent power challenges crippling medical facilities.
Speaking at the National Stakeholders Dialogue on Power in the Health Sector, held in Abuja on Tuesday, Tinubu, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, said it was unacceptable for citizens to lose their lives due to electricity failures in hospitals.
The president described the situation as a national emergency, stressing that uninterrupted power supply is critical in surgical theatres, maternity wards, intensive care units, laboratories, and emergency departments. He lamented that recurring blackouts often put patients at risk, disrupt essential services, and in many cases, lead to avoidable deaths.
“This crisis demands immediate and collective action,” he declared in a statement issued by his media aide, Yomi Odunuga. “Lives are at stake, and such outages must not continue under our administration.”
Tinubu explained that his Renewed Hope Agenda places energy supply to healthcare facilities at its core, with strategies to decentralise power systems and attract private sector investment. He said renewable energy and hybrid solutions will be prioritised to provide sustainable electricity across public hospitals nationwide.
According to him, ongoing reforms in the power sector, alongside Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan, will serve as a framework for deploying resilient, off grid solar and hybrid systems to strengthen the country’s health infrastructure.
He also assured investors of a supportive business environment, particularly in health, energy, and infrastructure, noting that the government was committed to building a system that guarantees safer, more reliable care for all Nigerians.
