How solar energy is set to power a new generation of vaccinations

The project aims to address unreliable electricity in underserved areas, as solarisation enables 24-hour healthcare services, vaccine refrigeration and operation of essential medical equipment. 

In a past exclusive interview with Healthcare Rising, Israel Mushore, Médecins Sans Frontières energy manager in northern Nigeria, said solar-powered health centres strengthen climate resilience while ensuring reliable vaccines and care for underserved communities.

According to UNICEF, these installations follow a 2023 national Primary Health Care assessment which identified 371 centres for upgrade. In Kano, early results show patient attendance has more than doubled. Speaking at the handover, UNICEF’s Officer-in-Charge Michael Banda, underlined the benefits of renewable energy in service delivery. “Reliable power enables proper vaccine storage, 24-hour service delivery and reduced reliance on fossil fuels,” he said, highlighting both public health and sustainability outcomes.

The Executive Director of eHealth Africa, Atef Fawaz, stated that the upgrades ensure communities have consistent access to essential care and that health workers have the tools to deliver life-saving services. The organisation is managing the roll-out across all 12 states, with work continuing on the remaining centres.

Gavi has committed multi-million-dollar funding to strengthen vaccine access in Nigeria. The organisation’s support focuses on zero-dose Local Government Areas, where children under five have some of the lowest immunisation rates. The solar installations are expected to contribute to improved healthcare delivery, reduced fossil fuel dependence and expanded reach to underserved populations.

In a previous interview with Healthcare Rising, Israel Mushore, Médecins Sans Frontières energy manager in northern Nigeria, underlined why solar power is critical for health systems. He explained that solar-powered facilities cut fossil fuel use, lower emissions and strengthen climate resilience, while also ensuring reliable vaccines and care for underserved communities.

At Zurmi General Hospital in Zamfara State, Mushore oversaw the installation of a 240-kilowatt solar plant in 2025 after the facility had spent more than six years without access to the national grid. The hospital had relied on ageing diesel generators, which were costly, unstable and prone to failure even during critical operations such as caesarean sections. The solar plant, built at a cost of about $800,000, now provides uninterrupted power for operating theatres, oxygen concentrators and vaccine refrigeration.

The system is designed to meet all hospital demands. Panels supply power during the day while charging a 680 kilowatt-hour battery bank that can run the hospital for 12 hours overnight. A standby generator is used sparingly, only two to three hours at a time, to recharge batteries during prolonged cloudy periods. Mushore said the shift has lowered costs, reduced emissions and improved staff morale, and he argues that scaling such systems across Nigeria and Africa would bring stable healthcare, reliable cold chains and climate benefits to more communities.

Across Africa, millions of children are missing life-saving vaccines, with Nigeria alone home to over two million zero-dose children, those who have never received a single vaccine. Unreliable electricity, which is vital for preserving vaccines, makes this gap even harder to close.

Replacing failing diesel generators and unreliable electricity supply with clean, round-the-clock power, facilities across the continent can protect cold chains, expand 24-hour services and reach the children most at risk of being left unvaccinated.