ZE-Gen to Back Nigeria Clean Energy Cold Storage Projects

In Short

ZE-Gen says it will invest more than £2 million in 10 clean energy projects across eight African countries, including Nigeria. Two projects focus on solar-powered cold storage and farm energy hubs for food and agriculture.

What Happened

ZE-Gen announced a portfolio of 10 clean energy projects across Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Lesotho.

In Nigeria, the programme includes two projects aimed at reducing diesel generator use and improving access to reliable electricity for food supply chains.

Farm Warehouse plans to deploy 100 solar-powered cold storage systems across major Nigerian markets. The goal is to help fish, meat, and dairy vendors reduce spoilage, protect product quality, and improve incomes. ZE-Gen did not disclose how much of the £2 million is allocated to Farm Warehouse.

KAMIM Technologies will build four solar-powered agricultural hubs. These hubs are designed to bundle irrigation, cold storage, ice production, and grain processing in one location. The company says it will also use digital tools to link farmers, storage sites, and buyers, which can help coordinate logistics and sales.

ZE-Gen said the funding is meant to help companies move from pilot projects to wider deployment. In practice, this often means taking a solution proven in a small trial and financing more units, more sites, and more customers.

The programme is backed by the UK government’s Ayrton Fund through the Transforming Energy Access platform.

Why It Matters

Diesel generators remain a default backup power source for many Nigerian businesses, especially in markets and processing clusters. Solar-powered cold rooms and productive-use energy systems can reduce fuel costs and emissions, and they can also improve food availability by cutting post-harvest losses.

For startups and operators, ZE-Gen’s approach is also a signal of what funders want to scale, practical energy infrastructure tied to revenue-generating use cases like refrigeration, processing, and irrigation.