End user solutions for clean energy - Household survey analysis in Adamawa

There is a financial cost attached to the use of energy sources. The average household size in Nigeria is approximately six persons and a family relying on kerosene for cooking will face unreliable supply and prices, outside the regulated market. The monthly cost of kerosene for a household, relative to income, is conventionally perceived to be high. Experience in other countries has shown that solar lighting sold on credit can generate savings for the household compared to the cost of kerosene from day one. The shortages and financial burden of kerosene mean finding attractive financing modes for end user purchase of renewable lighting and cooking technology could have a positive impact on the quality of life for the users.

The Climate and Clean Air Coalition has retained UNEP DTU to develop a scalable, sustainable finance model (including feasibility of lending products) for clean energy solutions in Adamawa State, Nigeria. The clean technology solutions in focus for the project are solar lighting and clean cookstoves. The finance models will address bottlenecks and barriers SLCP finance and, specifically, build the capacity of Standard Microfinance Bank. The project objective is to develop a pilot programme which could potentially be scaled throughout Nigeria.

The data presented in this report was obtained through a survey conducted during a field visit facilitated by Standard Microfinance Bank Ltd. (SMB), as partner of the project, in the state of Adawama in the northern part of Nigeria in 2018. The survey contained 34 questions relating to households’ demographic characteristics, their cooking and lighting habits in general and the use of cook stoves and solar lamps in particular.