Sunday Oko and Mahdi Garba (Lead writers)
“Thirty minutes into my wife’s C-section, NEPA [a colloquial term for electricity distribution companies] interrupted [the hospital’s] electricity,” recalled Shehu Danjuma Umar, in a Facebook post. He added that the government-owned facility had no fuel for the back-up generator meant to power the theatre.
When fuel eventually arrived, the generator still failed to start as it was faulty. Power was only restored an hour later after health workers scrambled to call a mechanic. The operation, which should have lasted no more than 90 minutes, stretched to three hours, Umar shared.
He waited anxiously for 11 gruelling hours outside the operating theatre at the Jummai Babangida Aliyu Maternal and Neonatal Hospital in Minna, Niger State, hopeful for a successful outcome. Tragically, his wife, Ummi Yusuf Maksudi did not survive.
Ummi’s story is not an isolated incident. She is one of the thousands of Nigerian women who die each day while giving birth. It is a tragic reflection of a broader systemic failure, where avoidable electricity disruptions routinely endanger lives in maternity wards across the country. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Nigeria recorded the highest number of maternal deaths globally in 2023, accounting for 28.7% of all estimated global maternal deaths worldwide, approximately 75,000 women.
The global health body also reported that a woman in Nigeria faces a 1 in 19 lifetime risk of dying during pregnancy, childbirth, or postpartum, compared to 1 in 4900 in most developed countries.
Nigeria’s persistent power failure is a healthcare crisis
Nigeria’s healthcare system faces many challenges, but few are as insidious and preventable as electricity failure. In maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH), power is not a luxury; it is lifesaving.
From incubators for premature babies to ultrasound machines for prenatal diagnosis and theatre lights for emergency Caesarean Sections, nearly every stage of maternal and newborn care depends on a stable electricity supply. When power is interrupted, lives hang in the balance.
In April 2024, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) implemented a tariff adjustment for ‘Band A’ consumers, raising the cost of electricity from ₦68 to ₦209.50 per kilowatt-hour. An increase of more than a 200%. Many public health institutions, including teaching hospitals, fall within this category.
A stark example is the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan, which recently endured over 100 days without electricity due to unpaid debts following the 200% increase in electricity tariffs. Medical training stalled, research activities were paused, and most critically, health service delivery, including maternal and newborn care, was severely disrupted.
Yet, many of these facilities receive far less electricity than their designated supply bands promise, forcing them to spend up to 25% of their monthly operating costs on energy. These costs are often passed onto patients, further deepening health inequities.
Alarmingly, nearly half of surveyed facilities reported that rising energy costs has compromised the quality of care. With Nigerians relying on private facilities for healthcare, especially maternal and child health services, this systemic power failure magnifies an already dire maternal health crisis.
A glimmer of hope in renewable energy
Public outrage over UCH’s blackout drew federal attention. The Minister of Power visited the facility and pledged to include it in the Energising Education Programme (EEP), which promises a 50MW solar mini-grid. However, the fulfillment of this promise and the recently signed agreement is yet to be fulfilled.
The Yobe State University Teaching Hospital also commissioned a 400KW Solar Photovoltaic (PV) power plant, with the Senator Mamman Ali Maternal and Child Health Complex as a primary beneficiary. This complex features modern equipment, including neonatal incubators and 3D ultrasound systems all requiring uninterrupted power.
In Zamfara State, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) installed a solar-powered energy system at Zurmi General Hospital, a secondary facility that previously relied on 65KVA generators running 24 hours a day and consuming 3,000 gallons of fuel each month. The new 250KW solar installation, comprising 436 panels, has transformed the hospital. Medical devices now run seamlessly, medications and vaccines are properly refrigerated, and emergency surgeries can proceed without delay. It has also helped reduce the facility’s carbon emissions.
These interventions are more than isolated projects; they are proof of concept. They demonstrate how sustainable energy can strengthen health systems, save lives, and help mitigate climate change because reliable power ensures uninterrupted care, reduces dependence on fossil fuels, and lowers operational costs, allowing resources to be redirected to critical medical services.
Policy alignment and the path forward
These renewable energy efforts align with the Electricity Act 2023, which prioritises decentralised renewable energy for health facilities and includes incentives like Feed-in Tariffs to encourage private sector investment. If supported by well-structured public-private partnerships (PPPs), solar energy solutions can be rapidly deployed across maternal and child health facilities nationwide. However, scaling these solutions requires more than pilot projects and good intentions, it demands political will, robust financing, and most importantly, accountability.
It is not enough to make promises; there must be clear timelines, transparency, and performance tracking to ensure implementation of policies such as the Primary Health Care Revitalisation Agenda (2023–2030). The agenda highlights the need for sustainable power solutions, such as solar energy to ensure consistent electricity in primary health centres, particularly in rural and off-grid areas.
Demonstrating a shift towards coordinated action, the Federal Government has inaugurated an Implementation Committee on the National Stakeholders Dialogue on Power in the Health Sector to mobilise investments and drive sustainable electrification of public healthcare facilities. The committee is tasked with ensuring effective implementation of dialogue recommendations, including exploring renewable energy, backup power systems, and energy-efficient solutions.
Every Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC), General Hospital, and Teaching Hospital in Nigeria needs a reliable power source. At least 70% of the country’s population rely on PHCs for care, which make up 88% of health facilities in the country. Secondary and tertiary health facilities make up 12% and 0.25%, respectively, yet they struggle with power issues.
A 100% electricity subsidy for health facilities would strengthen the system, but beyond subsidies, intentional investments are needed for maternal wards, delivery rooms, and neonatal units. Prioritising sustainable energy solutions in these critical areas would enable Nigeria to make measurable progress in reducing maternal and newborn deaths caused by preventable power failures. As seen in some communities already using alternative energy sources, solar power has transformed access to care.
Giving life should not mean risking death. Reliable electricity must be recognised as a core component of maternal healthcare, not an afterthought. With strategic investment, collaboration, and accountability, we must light the path towards safer births and healthier futures for all.