The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has handed over 28 newly solar-powered Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities to the Kano State Government and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
The project, implemented under the CDS3 Health System Strengthening programme, targets Nigeria’s 100 “zero-dose” local government areas (LGAs) — communities where many children have never received any routine immunisation and where access to essential health services is limited.
Gavi’s Senior Country Manager for Nigeria, Jessica Crawford, said the initiative followed a 2023 nationwide PHC functionality and energy needs assessment. A total of 371 health centres were earmarked for solarisation, with installations completed between 2024 and 2025 in partnership with eHealth Systems Africa.
“In Kano, 28 PHCs were prioritised based on their location in zero-dose LGAs, absence of overlap with other projects, and unreliable or non-existent electricity supply,” Crawford explained. “This is more than infrastructure – it is about impact, building a sustainable and equitable health system for all.”
Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran, said the facilities would help address the state’s high number of zero-dose children and pregnant women lacking access to basic healthcare. He urged communities to safeguard the installations and prevent their misuse.
UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office in Kano, Rahama Farah — represented by Officer-in-Charge Michael Banda — said the solar systems would ensure uninterrupted vaccine refrigeration, 24-hour service delivery, and reduced reliance on fossil fuels.
The handover ceremony was attended by the Director-General of the Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board, Prof Salisu Ibrahim, and representatives from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and other partners.
