Nigeria leads as 19 African firms secure $1.5m solar grant to drive green jobs
By Henry Nnaemeka
Nineteen companies from Nigeria, Kenya and Ethiopia have secured a combined US$1.5 million in grant funding to accelerate the adoption of productive-use solar technologies aimed at expanding businesses, creating jobs and strengthening Africa’s green economy.
The funding, provided through the Productive Use Financing Facility (PUFF) with support from the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) and managed by CLASP, was announced during the Adaptation Investment Summit 2026 in Nairobi.
The initiative is designed to bridge the gap between electricity access and economic productivity by helping businesses acquire solar-powered equipment to improve agricultural output, food preservation, and small-scale manufacturing.
Nigeria accounted for the largest share of beneficiaries, with eight companies selected for the programme. They are Asolar System Nigeria Limited, Ceesolar Energy Limited, Cloud Energy Photoelectric, Consistent Energy Ltd, D@ech Nig Ltd, Ecotutu, Sosai Renewable Energies and GreenPower Overseas Limited.
Kenya produced six successful applicants, including SunCulture and Agsol Limited, while five Ethiopian companies, among them Zicon Trading and Green Scene Energy PLC, also received funding.
Collectively, the grants are expected to finance the deployment of about 3,800 productive-use solar appliances, creating more than 3,000 green jobs across the three countries.
The programme targets small businesses and entrepreneurs who have access to electricity but lack the capital to purchase essential productive equipment such as solar-powered irrigation pumps, refrigeration systems and agro-processing machines.
Speaking at the unveiling, CLASP’s Senior Director for Africa, Emmanuel Aziebor, said expanding electricity access alone would not unlock Africa’s economic potential unless entrepreneurs could use energy to grow their businesses.
“Africa’s economic future depends not just on expanding access to electricity, but on ensuring that energy powers businesses, creates jobs and improves livelihoods,” he said.
According to him, while the required technologies already exist, the major challenge is making them affordable and accessible to small enterprises.
Industry estimates show that productive-use solar appliances currently serve less than one per cent of Africa’s addressable market. However, experts project that closing the gap could unlock an estimated US$16 billion in annual economic value and create as many as 50 million jobs over the next decade.
Vice-President for Africa at GEAPP, Carol Koech, said access to affordable financing remains critical to helping African entrepreneurs adopt clean energy technologies.
“Our goal is to empower African entrepreneurs with the tools to grow their businesses by aligning finance, technology, markets and enabling policies that accelerate an equitable energy transition across the region,” she said.
The latest funding builds on the success of PUFF’s first funding cycle between 2022 and 2024, which supported the distribution of nearly 16,000 productive-use appliances and positively impacted more than 53,000 people, underscoring the programme’s growing role in advancing renewable energy and economic development across Africa.
