Eight Nigerian companies are among 19 African firms awarded $1.5 million under the Productive Use Financing Facility (PUFF) to expand solar-powered productive appliances for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

The funding was announced by a global nonprofit organisation promoting energy-efficient appliances and clean energy solutions, CLASP, at the Adaptation Investment Summit 2026 in Nairobi.

A Senior Director for Africa at CLASP, Emmanuel Aziebor, made the announcement in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

Mr Aziebor said that the organisation was targeting the deployment of 3,800 productive-use appliances and the creation of over 3,000 green jobs.

PUFF is an initiative managed by CLASP and supported by the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP).

The initiative will fund the selected companies to reduce upfront production costs and make productive-use appliances more affordable and accessible to farmers, entrepreneurs and small businesses across the target regions.

The access aims to enable more entrepreneurs to grow their businesses, creating increased income and impact for their families and communities.

Mr Aziebor said the beneficiaries comprised eight companies from Nigeria, six from Kenya and five from Ethiopia, selected to improve access to income-generating solar technologies for farmers, entrepreneurs and small businesses.

He said the technologies included solar-powered water pumps, refrigeration systems, milling equipment and other appliances that enable businesses to increase productivity while lowering operating costs through clean energy solutions.

He said that Africa’s economic future depended on expanding electricity access and also on ensuring that energy-powered businesses create jobs and improve livelihoods.

“The technologies already exist. The challenge is making them accessible to the entrepreneurs who need them most.

“Through PUFF, we are helping to bridge that gap so that more businesses can invest, grow and drive local economic development,” he said.

Mr Aziebor said productive-use appliances currently reached less than one per cent of the serviceable African market, despite their significant economic potential.

He said expanding the sector could unlock nearly $16 billion in annual income and create about 50 million new jobs across Africa over the next decade.

Vice-President for Africa at GEAPP, Carol Koech, said affordable financing was essential to accelerating the adoption of renewable energy technologies by African entrepreneurs.

Ms Koech said the partnership aligned finance, technology, markets and enabling policies to help businesses grow while advancing an equitable energy transition across the continent.

Also, CLASP Senior Manager, William Mulehi said the second funding round would help businesses overcome upfront investment barriers, reach more entrepreneurs and expand into new markets.

He said the programme’s first phase, implemented between 2022 and 2024, provided $2.7 million, supporting the sale of nearly 16,000 productive-use appliances and directly benefiting more than 53,000 people across Africa. 

(NAN)