Eight Nigerian companies have emerged among the beneficiaries of a $1.5 million clean energy financing programme aimed at boosting the adoption of solar-powered equipment by entrepreneurs, farmers and small businesses across Africa.
The funding was awarded under the Productive Use Financing Facility (PUFF), an initiative managed by global non-profit organisation CLASP with support from the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP).
The announcement was made during the Adaptation Investment Summit 2026 held in Nairobi, Kenya.
In a statement, CLASP’s Senior Director for Africa, Emmanuel Aziebor, said the latest round of funding would support the deployment of about 3,800 productive-use energy appliances and help create more than 3,000 green jobs across participating countries.
According to him, the beneficiaries comprise eight companies from Nigeria, six from Kenya and five from Ethiopia.
The programme is designed to lower the cost of producing and distributing solar-powered technologies, making them more accessible to businesses and communities that rely on affordable energy solutions to improve productivity and livelihoods.
The supported technologies include solar-powered irrigation systems, cold storage and refrigeration units, milling machines and other energy-efficient equipment used by small and medium-sized enterprises.
Aziebor said the initiative seeks to move beyond basic electricity access by enabling businesses to utilise energy in ways that generate income, create jobs and stimulate economic growth.
“The technologies already exist. The challenge is making them accessible to the entrepreneurs who need them most,” he said.
“Through PUFF, we are helping to bridge that gap so that more businesses can invest, grow and drive local economic development.”
He noted that despite the significant potential of productive-use energy technologies, adoption across Africa remains extremely low, with less than one per cent of the addressable market currently being served.
According to estimates cited by CLASP, wider deployment of such technologies could generate nearly $16 billion in annual income and create as many as 50 million jobs across the continent within the next decade.
Also speaking, Vice-President for Africa at GEAPP, Carol Koech, stressed the importance of affordable financing in accelerating the transition to renewable energy solutions.
She said partnerships that combine finance, technology, market development and enabling policies are critical to expanding access to clean energy while supporting inclusive economic growth.
“Affordable financing remains one of the most important tools for increasing the adoption of renewable energy technologies among African businesses,” she said.
CLASP’s Senior Manager, William Mulehi, explained that the new phase of the programme is intended to help participating firms overcome financial constraints, reach more customers and expand into new markets.
He added that the first phase of the facility, implemented between 2022 and 2024, disbursed $2.7 million to clean energy enterprises across Africa.
According to Mulehi, that phase supported the deployment of nearly 16,000 productive-use appliances and positively impacted more than 53,000 people.
Industry stakeholders say initiatives such as PUFF are becoming increasingly important as African countries seek innovative ways to expand energy access, improve agricultural productivity, support small businesses and accelerate the transition to cleaner sources of energy.
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