Lagos: Nigerian technology firm, Newdigit, has begun installing a clean energy system that provides reliable electricity, medical oxygen, and clean water to hospitals in Lagos State. The initiative, supported by the Powering Healthcare Innovation Fund, is designed to reduce hospitals’ reliance on unstable grid supply and diesel generators.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Mr. Derick Nwasor, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Newdigit, announced in a statement that the company’s ‘Just Add Water’ system combines solar energy with Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) technology to produce electricity, oxygen, and water onsite. He highlighted that many hospitals face daily power cuts of up to 10 hours, forcing them to rely on polluting diesel generators. With the implementation of Just Add Water, hospitals can power essential equipment, produce oxygen, and recover clean water, thus improving healthcare services.
The system, already deployed in three hospitals in Lagos, delivers up to 15 kW of continuous electricity, 10-40 liters of medical oxygen daily, and a steady supply of water. It is expected to serve more than 24,000 patients annually, cut over 150 tonnes of carbon emissions, and generate 274 MWh of clean energy in its first year. Ms. Joy Princess, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Newdigit, stated that the company plans to expand to 1,000 hospitals nationwide by 2030.
The project received a $50,000 grant from the Powering Healthcare Innovation Fund, launched by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) with support from UK aid under the Transforming Energy Access initiative. Mr. Charlie Knight, Senior Energy Officer at SEforALL, commented that the project demonstrates how renewable energy can strengthen healthcare delivery in Africa, showing how clean technologies can provide reliable electricity, oxygen, and water, which could be revolutionary in building resilient health systems.