By Chinedu Adonu

The European Union (EU) and Enugu State Government have launched the N4.33 billion Enugu State Solar for Health Project, aimed at electrifying more than 25 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the state.

This initiative is a part of the broader “Nigeria Solar for Health Programme (NISHP),” which focuses on establishing a reliable 24/7 power supply for over 100 healthcare facilities in Nigeria’s participating states, including Enugu, Ogun, Plateau, Abia, and Akwa-Ibom.

The project will run from 2024 to 2027, with the goal of enhancing the healthcare system in Nigeria by providing solar energy to public health institutions. Enugu State has distinguished itself by being the first to contribute a counterpart fund of N1 billion to support this initiative.

During the launch at the Old Government Lodge in Enugu, Mrs. Inga Stephanowicz, Head of Green and Digital Economy at EU Nigeria and ECOWAS, emphasized the importance of electrifying health facilities that currently lack basic amenities.

She noted that Enugu is one of the first state that volunteered and made the necessary commitment to become priority state in the  EU intervention.

“Enugu is going to get N3.33 billion from the EU support as they have  paid counterpart fund of N1 billion and when you multiply this amount by the fives states, that is the amount we are spending for the project.

“It is Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of providing basic health, community services and electrification needed for people to live, become healthy and raise families.

“We are championing a model that is all stakeholders driven in which local businesses will be connected as the solar project will  be powering both  health facilities and SMEs around it.

“This means that we are not electrifying only health facilities but also business around it. One of those businesses will be a telecom tower to improve telecommunication in that facility,” she said.

In a keynote speech, Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State, said the project was step in the collective journey towards SDGs and improved healthcare delivery for the  citizen as well as underscoring  the critical link between access to clean energy, health and well-being of the  people in communities.

Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia,  disclosed that Enugu State had long been committed to improving the healthcare outcomes and addressing energy deficit with the Nigeria solar for health project.

“We are taking a bold step towards ensuring that our primary care facilities across the state have reliable, sustainable ans uninterrupted energy supply.

“The deployment of solar energy solutions in our healthcare facilities means that critical health services will no longer be disrupted due to power outages,” Mbah said.

The Programme Manager, Energy Access, EU Nigeria, Mr Godfrey Ogbemudia, assured that by 2030 through the project, 100 million Nigerians would have access to electricity.

He said EU had committed €20 million to power sector in Nigeria for both off grid and renewable energy between 2008 to 2020 and additional €37 million to new energy access programmes from 2021 to 2027.