BY DESTINY AIHIELU
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has restated his administration’s determination to transform Nigeria’s health sector.
He said no Nigerian should die because of power failures in health facilities.
The President spoke yesterday at the National Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Power in the Health Sector at the Ladi Kwali Hall, Continental Hotel, Abuja.
He said the Federal Government was prioritizing innovative and sustainable solutions to ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply in medical institutions.
Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, President Tinubu said: “Today, we face a pressing issue that affects every Nigerian: the persistent power supply crisis in our tertiary hospitals and public health institutions.
“In surgical theatres, maternity wards, intensive care units, laboratories, and emergency rooms across the country, power outages too often compromise safety, interrupt care, and cost lives. This crisis demands our immediate attention and concerted action.
“These outages cannot continue, and under our administration, they should not. Lives are at stake. We must act now.”
A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the SGF, Yomi Odunuga, the President said the initiative to improve energy supply in health facilities formed part of the Renewed Hope Agenda’s broader effort to tackle energy poverty by decentralizing electricity delivery and boosting private sector participation.
“Let me, therefore, affirm unequivocally that my administration is fully committed to the transformation of our health sector by targeting innovative solutions to the hydra-headed challenges bedeviling the sector, including the sub-optimal, inefficient and often uneconomical electricity supply that drives up the cost of services, disrupts care, compromises quality and increases patient dissatisfaction,” he said.
President Tinubu assured investors that Nigeria remained open for business in health, energy, and infrastructure, pledging an enabling environment for returns on investment.
He restated his administration’s readiness to partner with credible investors in renewable and hybrid energy solutions.
Describing the dialogue as a launch pad for “collaborative action, strategic alignment, and shared responsibility,” President Tinubu added that ongoing reforms under the Energy Transition Plan and Power Sector initiatives were laying the foundation for a more resilient and decentralized energy framework.
“Our focus is on expanding off-grid solar and hybrid systems for critical public infrastructure, creating incentives for private sector participation through supportive regulations and fiscal measures, promoting public-private partnerships as drivers of sustainable energy deployment, as well as leveraging blended financing to attract investments from development partners, international financial institutions, and local financiers,” he said.
The President expressed optimism that the measures would restore confidence in public healthcare, improve outcomes, and guarantee that quality services are accessible to Nigerians regardless of their socio-economic status.