CLASP, GEAPP provide $6.1m funding to boost energy appliances access in Africa

A $6.1 million funding from CLASP, and international Non-Governmental Organisation, and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) is set to drive access to affordable, income-generating appliances for small businesses and households in Nigeria, Kenya, and Ethiopia.

The initiative, known as the Productive Use Financing Facility (PUFF), aims to deliver up to 10,000 energy-efficient appliances, including solar-powered refrigerators, water pumps, and milling machines, to communities in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Kenya.

Building on a successful two-year pilot, the expanded programme will support local manufacturers, distributors, and service providers through grants, subsidies, and technical assistance.

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According to CLASP, the intervention will catalyse enterprise growth, create over 3,000 green jobs, and help unlock new business opportunities across rural and peri-urban areas.

“Access to energy is foundational for economic growth. Efficient appliances and equipment turn energy into opportunity and should be considered essential energy infrastructure, alongside renewables. PUFF’s pilot phase proved that targeted support can deliver material impact and positive change,” said Emmanuel Aziebor, senior director for Africa at CLASP.

From 2022 to 2024, the pilot partnered with 24 companies across six emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs), bringing around 16,000 appliances to market and benefiting over 58,000 households.

Nearly half of the appliances were purchased by women, and households with female buyers saw an average income increase of 94 percent.

One of such beneficiaries is Abibat Akinwale, a Nigerian shopkeeper who used the scheme to acquire a solar-powered refrigerator.

“We were buying ice blocks, which led us into some debt, and after a while, the blocks would melt. We no longer had cold items for sale. The solar fridge has really increased sales. Business is very good now because I’m able to sell cold drinks,” she said.

With a stronger focus on gender equality and youth empowerment, PUFF 2.0 plans to improve outreach and financing models tailored to women and young entrepreneurs.

Makena Ireri, managing director for productive use of energy at GEAPP, said the initiative is critical to transforming energy access into real economic value.

“While electrification has expanded, many investments fail to turn access into economic opportunity, with limited job creation or enterprise growth. Through initiatives like PUFF 2.0, we are ensuring that new energy connections drive productivity, power agriculture, and energize ambition in small and medium-sized enterprises,” Ireri said.

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The second phase of PUFF also aligns with Mission 300, a public-private-philanthropic effort supported by the World Bank, African Development Bank, GEAPP, the Rockefeller Foundation, and SEforALL, which aims to connect 300 million people to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030.

Despite Africa’s progress on electrification, many low-income communities remain unable to afford productive appliances due to high costs and a lack of financing options.

PUFF seeks to bridge this affordability gap and improve livelihoods by enabling broader access to clean energy-powered tools.