By Sam Agogo
Electricity is not just a utility in healthcare—it is the invisible lifeline that sustains every heartbeat monitored, every surgery performed, every newborn placed in an incubator, and even the dignity of the deceased preserved in hospital mortuaries. In Nigeria, however, this lifeline is under severe strain. Hospitals across the country are caught in a vicious cycle of rising electricity tariffs, erratic power supply, and crippling dependence on diesel generators that drain scarce resources. The result is a health sector teetering on the edge: surgeries interrupted mid‑procedure, vaccines spoiled due to failed refrigeration, patients left in darkness at their most vulnerable moments, and mortuaries unable to maintain cold storage, leading to heartbreaking consequences for grieving families.
Doctors and nurses report that blackouts have become routine, forcing them to improvise in unsafe conditions. Rural clinics remain completely off‑grid, relying on kerosene lamps or candles at night, while tertiary hospitals struggle to maintain critical services. Electricity is indispensable for operating theaters, ventilators, anesthesia machines, and surgical tools. Diagnostic equipment such as MRI, CT scans, and X‑rays cannot function without it. Emergency services, neonatal incubators, vaccine refrigeration, sterilization units, hospital information systems, and mortuaries where refrigeration is essential to preserve bodies with dignity until burial all depend on steady power. Without electricity, basic healthcare delivery collapses, and even the final respect owed to the dead is compromised.
Analysts argue that beyond infrastructure, subsidies for electricity costs in health institutions are urgently needed. This is because most medical conditions demand urgent attention, and hospitals cannot afford delays caused by power shortages. In many cases, patients themselves do not have the money to pay for their medical conditions, and the added burden of high electricity costs only worsens the crisis. Subsidizing electricity would ease the financial strain on hospitals, make power more affordable, and ensure flexibility in supply, particularly for emergency wards, maternal care units, and mortuaries. Such subsidies would directly translate into faster, more reliable care for patients who cannot wait—and cannot pay—for the luxury of uninterrupted power. In a country where poverty levels remain high, and where many families struggle to afford even basic medical bills, government intervention in the form of electricity subsidies could be the difference between life and death.
The government has already budgeted billions for solar power at the Presidential Villa, setting a precedent that should be extended to public hospitals. If the seat of power can enjoy uninterrupted solar energy, then hospitals where lives are saved daily deserve the same priority. Solar power offers a sustainable, cost‑effective alternative to diesel generators, reducing operational costs and carbon emissions while providing reliable electricity for critical hospital functions. Decentralized solar systems can also reach rural health centers often neglected by the national grid. Yet experts stress that solar is only one part of the solution. Hybrid systems combining solar, diesel, and battery storage, wind energy in northern corridors, biomass from hospital and agricultural waste, and mini‑hydro plants in riverine areas all present viable alternatives. Energy efficiency measures such as LED lighting, smart medical equipment, and improved building design can further reduce consumption and costs.
Philanthropists and private sector players are being urged to step in. Wealthy individuals, foundations, and companies can fund renewable energy projects in hospitals as part of corporate social responsibility. International donors and NGOs can partner with government to scale solutions, while communities can contribute to maintaining systems to ensure sustainability. Such partnerships would not only prevent hospital closures but also strengthen Nigeria’s health infrastructure for the long term, including mortuary services that are often overlooked but remain vital to families and communities.
The electricity crisis in Nigeria’s health sector is not just an infrastructure problem—it is a matter of life and death, and of dignity in death. Every blackout is a reminder that urgent action is needed. Reliable power in hospitals is not a luxury; it is a national necessity. The government must replicate its solar investment at the Presidential Villa across public health institutions, subsidize electricity costs to make power flexible and affordable, and embrace alternatives that diversify energy sources. Philanthropists and private actors must also step in to support these innovations. Lives depend on it, and even in death, dignity depends on it.
For comments, reflections and further conversation:
Email: samuelagogo4one@yahoo.com
Phone: +2348055847364
