Powering care, protecting lives: how two Nigerian communities see health differently

11 April 2026

Port Harcourt - Reliable electricity is more than a convenience. It is a lifeline for primary health care. Clean and dependable energy supports safe, equitable and resilient services.

When the lights failed at the Primary Health Centre in Rumuigbo, Rivers State in southern Nigeria, the room went dark again.
A midwife held a torchlight against her shoulder as she checked a woman in labour. The generator had stopped, and no one knew if there was fuel to restart it. Across Nigeria, an estimated 40-50% of primary health care facilities experience unreliable electricity supply, putting essential services at risk.

These power challenges are common across many low- and middle-income countries, where health facilities often rely on costly and unreliable back-up power.

Community Health Extension Worker Alaba Douglas of Rumuigbo Primary Health Centre remembers those nights.

"You cannot tell a mother in pain to wait because the light is gone," she said. "That was our reality for years."
Frequent outages meant vaccines were rushed to neighbouring facilities. Night-time emergencies were delayed. Staff used phone lights to deliver babies. In some centres, power failed every day before the intervention.
Today, in two communities, that reality has changed.

A new source of power and confidence
In early 2025, the Federal Ministry of Health and state authorities led the effort to install clean, reliable solar power in two primary health centres in Akwa Ibom and Rivers States, with support from World Health Organization (WHO) through the HealthCREST initiative.

This work aligns with the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the Sector-Wide Approach, led by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, while advancing Nigeria's National Health Policy and the Primary Health Care Under One Roof reform. It strengthens primary health care infrastructure through sustainable, climate-resilient energy solutions, ensuring improved service delivery, system efficiency and resilience in line with national development priorities.

Each facility was equipped with a 5-kW solar photovoltaic system and 10 kWh lithium-ion battery storage, ensuring uninterrupted power supply for critical services.

Site selection was based on service load, maternal and immunization burden and vulnerability to power outages, with monitoring conducted over an initial six-month implementation period (January-June 2025). Implementation included on-site support from the Nigerian Environmental Summit Group and District Industrial Concerns.

The impact was immediate.
In Rumuigbo, the cold chain room, once a source of constant concern, now maintains stable temperatures during grid cuts.
"We no longer fear losing vaccines," said Blessing Nangibo, Local Government Immunization Officer. "Children get their shots on time, and parents keep their appointments."

A mother who delivered at night shared her experience.

"The lights stayed on throughout my labour," said Onwumeh Kikachianyi Mavis of Rumuigbo. "I felt safe, and care was steady."
For women, newborns and rural families, groups often affected by service disruptions, reliable power is enabling safer care.

What the numbers show
Before the solar installation, the two centres recorded multiple service disruptions each month.
Following solarization, service interruptions reduced by over 80%. Early results include:

• 24-hour uninterrupted service for immunization, maternity care and minor emergencies
• Night-time deliveries increased from around 40 per month to more than 50 per month in Rumuigbo
• Generator fuel costs reduced from ₦250 000 ($182) per month to around ₦50 000 ($37)

An estimated 231 kg of carbon dioxide emissions avoided daily, equivalent to over 84 000 kg annually, based on displacement of diesel generator use.

These numbers tell part of the story. The rest comes from the people who rely on these centres every day.
A mother in Rivers State said:

"We used to worry about coming at night. Now services are steady, and staff are ready," said Egbulefu Ruth Chinyere of Rumuigbo.
A community leader added:"This project shows that government and partners are investing in community health," said Evangelist Eberechi Johnson, women's leader.

How WHO helped make this possible
In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, state ministries of health and state primary health care development authorities, WHO supported the solarization of the facilities, ensuring delivery of reliable, clean energy solutions for primary health care.

This included:

• Provision and installation of solar photovoltaic systems and battery storage to power essential health services
• Procurement oversight and quality assurance to ensure compliance with standards
• Training for health workers, including women health workers, on basic operation and maintenance
• Deployment of monitoring tools to track performance and service continuity
• Coordination with state governments, the Nigerian Environmental Summit Group, the Rural Electrification Agency and private renewable energy partners

This support helped address technical capacity gaps in renewable energy deployment at primary health care level, complementing government leadership and providing a model that others can adapt.

"Reliable power is essential for safe delivery, vaccination and emergency care," said Dr Pavel Ursu, WHO Representative in Nigeria.

"This pilot shows how clean energy strengthens primary health care."

Director of Climate Change and Environmental Health at the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Zakari Mohammed, said:

"With WHO's technical support, we now have a model we can scale. Communities are already seeing the benefits."

This work was made possible with support from with funding from the FCDO

Overall impact at a glance

• Essential primary health care services now run without interruption
• Vaccine storage is stable, reducing wastage and improving reliability
• Women and newborns receive safer maternity care at night
• Health workers report improved confidence and lower stress
• Communities express increased trust in their health facilities
• Carbon dioxide emissions and fuel costs have decreased, supporting Nigeria's climate resilience agenda

"I now have more confidence in delivery and care," said Alaba Douglas.

How WHO is scaling impact through national coordination and partnership

Beyond the pilot, WHO has played a catalytic role in advancing energy-health integration at national scale. WHO and the Federal Ministry of Health co-convened Nigeria's first National Dialogue on Power in the Health Sector (2025), resulting in the signing of a national Energy Compact to accelerate electrification of health facilities.

This momentum enabled Nigeria to secure a US$ 700 000 grant to support solar photovoltaic deployment across health facilities in the Federal Capital Territory, Niger and Nasarawa States.

WHO further supported the integration of health into Nigeria's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office confirmation and Lafiya Palladium, and is currently supporting the design of a national Health Climate Implementation Strategy.

Climate and health considerations have also been embedded into the Basic Health Care Provision Fund 2.0, strengthening sustainability and resilience at primary health care level.

In addition, WHO co-hosted Nigeria's first Legislative Roundtable on Climate, Health and Environment with the Senate Committee on Health, the Nigerian Environmental Summit Group and the Legislative Network for Universal Health Coverage, advancing policy alignment and financing dialogue.

Health, climate and resilience-one agenda

These efforts align with Nigeria's broader climate and health agenda. The 2024 Climate Health Vulnerability Assessment estimates that up to 21% of Nigeria's disease burden could be linked to climate change if no action is taken.
Reliable, clean energy in health facilities is therefore not only a service delivery intervention-it is a climate adaptation and health security strategy.

A small pilot with a bigger future
The two centres now operate without relying on generators. Patients report more consistent care. Local leaders are asking when more facilities can benefit.

Yet thousands of primary health centres across Nigeria still face unreliable electricity. Scaling this approach will need funding, technical support and long-term maintenance plans.

As Dr Angbara Roseline, head of facility at Rumuigbo Primary Health Centre, put it: "Our goal is to expand this approach to more states. Every community deserves a health centre that can keep the lights on."

For Alaba Douglas, the change is already clear.
"We can focus on saving lives now," she said. "Reliable power helps us provide consistent care."

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