In a striking revelation, the outgoing Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Ebute Metta, Dr. Adedamola Dada, has disclosed that the hospital spends around ₦20 million each month on electricity—even though it receives only about three hours of public power daily.
Dr. Dada made this known during a press briefing held to reflect on the hospital’s progress and hurdles over the years. He emphasized that the meager public supply has forced the hospital to rely heavily on diesel-powered generators to maintain uninterrupted operations—critical for a health facility that functions around the clock.
According to him, the hospital consumes approximately 80,000 litres of diesel monthly to bridge the power gap, ensuring that essential services are never interrupted.
“For the past seven years, we’ve had to generate about 95% of our own electricity to remain fully operational,” he explained. “Power is non-negotiable in a facility where technology and automation are central to patient care.”
Despite the staggering financial burden, Dr. Dada stated that the hospital had no choice but to take control of its power needs. When the facility decided to digitize its services, doubts emerged over whether this could be sustained under Nigeria’s unstable electricity conditions. But with proper planning, FMC Ebute Metta succeeded in developing an in-house solution that delivers nearly 22 hours of self-generated power daily.
“This investment has certainly strained our finances,” he admitted. “But the quality and continuity of our services make it worth it.”
The hospital’s unwavering commitment to service excellence has not gone unnoticed. In 2022, the Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency recognized FMC Ebute Metta as the most compliant and standard-driven public hospital in Lagos. More recently, the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, under the Presidency, commended the hospital for being a pioneer in leveraging ICT to improve healthcare delivery in the public sector.
