The Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation, Massimo De Luca, has announced that the EU is ready to begin procuring equipment for the Nigeria Solar for Health Project (NISHP) in five selected states.
The states involved in this initiative are Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Enugu, Ogun, and Plateau. De Luca made this announcement on Thursday during the second steering committee meeting for the technical assistance of the EU-funded program in Abuja.
“We are launching and are ready to begin the procurement of equipment for the five selected states—Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Enugu, Ogun, and Plateau,” De Luca stated. He reiterated the EU’s commitment to the project, which aims to expand access to clean, efficient, and reliable energy supply for health facilities.
A Stakeholder Manager from NTU International highlighted that the steering committee meeting brought together all participating states to address key issues related to the sustainability and operation of the solar for health projects.
The discussions focused on state ownership, stakeholder responsibilities, maintenance, and distribution. “We are having strategic discussions on how to ensure sustainability, what private sector models are needed in each state, and how they will operate,” the manager explained. They also invited a telecom provider from American Towers to discuss their expectations of receiving power from a mini-grid.
Ibrahim Shehu, speaking on behalf of Sunday Owolabi, Director of Renewable Energy and Rural Access at the Ministry of Power, expressed support for the initiative. He described it as a welcome development that would significantly empower health centers, particularly primary healthcare facilities.
