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From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The Gombe state government has launched the EU-funded Nigeria Solar for Health Project (NISHP), a flagship renewable-energy intervention designed to deliver uninterrupted, clean electricity to rural healthcare facilities and stimulate local economic activity.
The event, held on December 1, marks the state’s entry into a wider European Union programme aimed at expanding energy access and accelerating Nigeria’s transition toward sustainable power systems.
Under the partnership between the European Union and the Gombe State Government, NISHP will deploy solar microgrids across at least 10 rural secondary health centres, providing dependable power for critical medical services including surgery, childbirth, diagnostics, and vaccine storage. The electrification will also extend to more than 20 small and medium enterprises operating around the benefiting facilities, creating new avenues for productive use of energy.
Speaking on behalf of the EU Delegation to Nigeria, Mrs. Inga Stefanowicz, Head of Section for Green and Digital Economy, positioned the initiative as a strategic component of the EU’s Global Gateway agenda in Nigeria. She warned that severe electricity shortages continue to undermine healthcare delivery nationwide, noting that many public primary health centres still operate with limited or no access to reliable power.
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She emphasized that the project is engineered to support Nigeria’s decarbonization drive and strengthen the national energy-access framework. According to her, the solar-powered microgrids will ensure 24/7 electricity for rural clinics in Gombe, improve climate resilience, and enhance service quality for communities that have long been underserved.
The state government inaugurated a multi-agency steering committee to oversee project execution, comprising representatives from the Ministries of Energy and Health, the European Union, NTU International, and GIZ. Project managers underscored the need for strong sustainability practices in maintaining the systems to guarantee long-term efficiency and durability.
The Gombe rollout is part of a €10.4 million EU expansion of NISHP across several states, with installations covering solar deployment, electrical retrofits, renovations, civil works, and microgrid distribution. A cumulative capacity of 0.3 MWp will be installed across Gombe alone.
Officials say the intervention will cut operational costs for health centres, save lives by stabilizing critical services, and unlock new economic opportunities for rural businesses.
