Nineteen businesses from Nigeria, Kenya, and Ethiopia have been selected to receive $1.5 million in funding to scale up the use of solar-powered equipment that generates income.
The grant, disbursed under the Productive Use Financing Facility, PUFF, is expected to boost productivity, drive job creation, and strengthen local economies.
Speaking on the initiative, Chianda Njogu, Director for Energy and Opportunity, Africa at the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, said the funds will be used to deploy 3,800 productive use appliances and support more than 3,000 green jobs across the three nations.
The Nigerian companies on the list 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.
From Ethiopia, the awardees include Awdi Negesti Special Purpose Machinery Manufacturing, Center for Applied Manufacturing Service & Engineering, Green Scene Energy PLC, Inter Ethiopia, and Zicon Trading.
Kenyan recipients are Agsol Limited, Epicenter Africa Limited, Plexus Energy Limited, Suncool Storage, SunCulture Kenya Limited, and Sunspot Energy Kenya, trading as Spark Possibilities.
Njogu noted that although programs like Mission 300 are expanding electricity access in Africa, many businesses still cannot afford the equipment needed to turn power into profit.
“These include solar water pumps, solar fridges, solar mills and other appliances that help people earn a living,” he explained.
“The main challenge for African businesses is the high cost of buying and running these inefficient machines.”
PUFF, which is managed by CLASP with support from the Global Energy Alliance, will help the chosen companies lower production costs and make the equipment more affordable for farmers, small businesses, and entrepreneurs.
Emmanuel Aziebor, Senior Director for Africa at CLASP, said energy access alone is not enough.
“Africa’s future depends on using electricity to power businesses, create employment, and improve livelihoods,” Aziebor said.
“The technology is already here. What’s missing is access for the entrepreneurs who need it most. PUFF is designed to close that gap and enable more businesses to grow and contribute to local development.”
He added that the market for income-generating appliances is largely untapped, reaching less than 1% of potential users in Africa.
“If we can close that gap, the sector could generate nearly $16 billion annually and create 50 million new jobs over the next 10 years,” he stated.
Carol Koech, Vice President for Africa at the Global Energy Alliance, said affordable financing is key to speeding up renewable energy adoption.
“Our aim is to equip African entrepreneurs with the resources to expand by connecting finance, technology, markets and supportive policies, while also driving a fairer energy transition across the region,” Koech said.
The funding is expected to increase access to solar-powered tools for small businesses and rural communities in Nigeria, Kenya, and Ethiopia.
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