- Ogun State, in partnership with the EU, is providing solar power to 40 rural health centres to ensure reliable electricity and improve healthcare delivery.
- The Solar for Health Project will reduce diesel costs, enhance maternal and child health, and promote the use of clean energy under the EU’s Global Gateway Programme.
The Ogun State Government has partnered with the European Union (EU) to power 40 rural health centres with solar energy, aiming to strengthen healthcare delivery and reduce dependence on unreliable electricity supply.
Governor Dapo Abiodun announced the partnership on Thursday, October 30, in Abeokuta during the launch of the Nigeria Solar for Health Project, an EU-funded initiative. Represented by the Commissioner for Finance, Dapo Okubadejo, the governor said the project would close the power gap that continues to disrupt medical services in rural areas.
“In many rural and semi-urban areas, power disruptions compromise the quality of medical services. Vaccines lose potency without refrigeration, emergency surgeries face delays, and diagnostic tools stop working. These are not technical inconveniences; they are matters of life and death,” Abiodun said.
He explained that the solar initiative would deliver clean, renewable, and sustainable power to selected primary healthcare facilities, ensuring continuous service delivery and better outcomes for patients in underserved communities. “With this intervention, our health centres will not only have light, they will have life,” he added.
Abiodun said the first phase of the project would power more than 40 primary healthcare centres and reduce operational costs linked to diesel and generator use. He noted that the initiative would also enhance maternal and child health outcomes, cut carbon emissions, and create new jobs.
Furthermore, he assured that his administration would collaborate with local governments, communities, and development partners to ensure proper maintenance, capacity building, and community ownership of the solar infrastructure. He also said small businesses near the healthcare facilities could benefit from the clean energy network through affordable, regulated connections.
The EU Programme Manager for Energy and Circular Economy, Godfrey Ogbemudia, stated that the initiative reaffirms the Union’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare and energy systems. He described the project, part of the EU’s Global Gateway Programme, as a transformative effort to deliver sustainable and equitable healthcare services.
“This visionary initiative, spanning 2024 to 2028, will deploy solar micro-grid solutions to public health facilities, improve service delivery, and support economic activities in rural communities,” he said.
Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, called the project timely and transformative. “Power is an essential part of healthcare. It is not optional; it is fundamental. We cannot deliver babies in the dark, perform surgeries, store vaccines, or sustain digital health systems without steady electricity,” she said.
Coker also revealed that one in six primary healthcare centres in Ogun State would be running on solar power by the end of the year, thanks to ongoing interventions. She added that general and state hospitals spend over ₦100 million monthly on energy, funds that could otherwise go toward essential drugs, staff training, and outreach programmes.
She stated that the EU-supported Nigeria Solar for Health Project would reduce energy costs and enhance efficiency across healthcare facilities in the state.