No Nigerian Should Die From Hospital Power Cuts – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s push to deliver reliable power supply to Nigeria’s health facilities, saying no citizen should die because electricity fails in theatres, ICUs or emergency rooms.

He spoke at the National Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Power in the Health Sector held at Ladi Kwali Hall, Continental Hotel, Abuja.

The president, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, said the federal government is advancing sustainable, decentralised energy for hospitals nationwide.

“Today, we face a pressing issue that affects every Nigerian: the persistent power supply crisis in our tertiary hospitals and public health institutions… power outages too often compromise safety, interrupt care, and cost lives,” Tinubu said in a statement by Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the SGF, Yomi Odunuga.

“These outages cannot continue, and under our administration, they should not. Lives are at stake. We must act now.”

The president said the move is part of a broader health-sector overhaul under the Renewed Hope Agenda, targeting “hydra-headed” constraints that inflate costs and degrade care.

“My administration is fully committed to the transformation of our health sector by targeting innovative solutions… 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.

Tinubu stressed that the intervention aligns with ongoing national energy reforms. “Through the Energy Transition Plan and our Power Sector Reform initiatives, we are building a robust foundation for cleaner, more resilient, and more decentralised energy delivery systems across Nigeria. These efforts are deeply rooted in the principles of sustainability, innovation, and inclusivity,” he noted.

Outlining next steps, the president said the government is expanding off-grid solar and hybrid systems for critical public infrastructure, creating incentives for private participation through supportive regulations and fiscal measures, promoting public-private partnerships to drive deployment, and leveraging blended finance to attract development partners, international financiers and local capital.

He assured investors that Nigeria is open for health, energy and infrastructure business. “We will create the enabling environment for return on investment and partner with credible investors in renewable and hybrid energy systems,” Tinubu said, describing the stakeholders’ dialogue as a launching pad for collaborative action, strategic alignment and shared responsibility in powering health institutions.

“This initiative to advance energy solutions in our hospitals is not an isolated intervention,” he added. “It is an integral part of our strategic direction to address energy poverty by decentralising and deploying tailor-made solutions and promoting private sector participation.”