Nigeria Taps World Bank Funds For Clean Energy Agriculture
Nigeria Included in $50m Solar Agriculture Programme
THE World Bank has approved $50 million to scale up solar-powered agricultural solutions in Nigeria and five other African countries, as part of a broader effort to combine clean energy access with food production.
The programme is designed to increase farm productivity, reduce post-harvest waste and expand electricity access in off-grid areas. Nigeria joins Kenya, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo as beneficiaries.
Technology at the Centre of the Intervention
The funding will support solar-powered cold storage facilities, refrigeration units, water pumps and grain mills—tools that address key bottlenecks in agricultural value chains. These technologies allow farmers to store produce longer, reduce spoilage and access higher-value markets.
CLASP, a US-based non-profit, will oversee implementation across the participating countries.
Donors Signal Readiness to Expand Funding
The Rockefeller Foundation, which has committed $12 million to the programme, has indicated openness to further investment. Foundation President Rajiv Shah said the initiative demonstrates how innovation can be scaled through partnerships with governments and multilateral lenders.
The backing reflects rising confidence among donors that solar-powered agricultural infrastructure can be commercially sustainable.
Tackling Energy Poverty Through Mission 300
The initiative operates under the Productive Use Financing Facility (PUFF), part of Mission 300—a World Bank and AfDB programme targeting electricity access for 300 million Africans by 2030.
Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for more than 80 per cent of the global population without electricity, with about 600 million people still lacking reliable power. PUFF seeks to bridge this gap by helping solar equipment providers reach rural communities excluded from traditional financing.
What It Means for Nigeria
Nigeria’s agriculture sector suffers heavily from post-harvest losses caused by inadequate storage and unreliable electricity. Solar-powered solutions are expected to improve food security, raise rural incomes and support cleaner energy use.
As the programme moves into full-scale deployment, stakeholders expect tangible gains for Nigerian farmers and agribusinesses.
