The European Union has announced its readiness to commence the procurement of equipment for the Nigeria Solar for Health Project across five selected states; Abia, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Ogun, and Plateau.
This was disclosed by the Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation, Massimo De Luca, during the second steering committee meeting of the EU-funded initiative in Abuja.
De Luca reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to the project, which aims to expand access to clean and reliable energy for healthcare facilities.
“We are already launching and ready to commence equipment procurement for the five selected states of Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Enugu, Ogun, and Plateau,” he stated.
During the meeting, a Stakeholder Manager from NTU International emphasized the importance of sustainability and operational strategies in the project.
The discussions focused on ensuring state ownership, clarifying stakeholder responsibilities, and maintaining the solar systems.
“We are channeling strategic discussions around how we can totally address the issue of sustainability and what private sector models are needed to deliver in each state and how they will ultimately operate within the States,” the manager said.
A telecom provider from American Towers also participated, sharing insights on the expected role of mini-grids in providing power to their operations.
The session brought together representatives from the EU, the Ministry of Power, the Rural Electrification Agency, and state officials to discuss sustainability frameworks for the initiative.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Power’s Director of Renewable Energy and Rural Access, Ibrahim Shehu commended the project as a vital step for empowering health centers.
“Sustainability is the main issue, and with the counterpart findings from the State, there will be a lot of commitments from the States,” he remarked.
He also highlighted the potential for business activities around health facilities to generate revenue for maintaining the solar grids.
Senior Special Assistant to the Ogun State Governor on Special Duties and SDGs, Damilola Otubanjo, praised the initiative, expressing enthusiasm about its impact on smaller, power-deficient primary health centers.
“It is a privilege that Ogun State is one of the first beneficiaries. We have to reciprocate the goodwill of the EU by ensuring that the project does not fail,” she stated, emphasizing the importance of scaling up and expanding the project’s reach.
The NISHP, which will run from 2024 to 2027, aims to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system by providing solar power to public health facilities.
The project is being implemented in collaboration with partners such as GIZ, NTU, and American Towers.
