The federal government has approved a new Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) rollout and energy labelling for air conditioners (ACs).
Air conditioners are among the highest energy-consuming appliances, accounting for over 40 per cent of household electricity usage.
The standard also helps ensure that more climate-friendly refrigerant gasses are used in the equipment, consistent with the Government’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Climate Agreement.
The new standard was developed under the project ‘Scaling Up Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Cooling in Nigeria’s NDC Revision’, implemented by the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) with technical support from the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) United for Efficiency (U4E) team and funding from the Clean Cooling Collaborative (CCC).
It is in collaboration with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON). The MEPS will be implemented in phases, enhancing energy efficiency and transitioning refrigerant gasses used in the equipment.
‘Nigeria’s new energy efficiency standard for air conditioners, set to save 11.5 TWh of energy annually by 2040, is a game-changer for Africa. By reducing energy consumption and emissions by 39 million tonnes of CO₂ over the next 15 years, Nigeria is not only lowering costs for consumers but also leading the way toward a more sustainable and greener economy for the continent’, said Africa Director and Regional Representative, UNEP, Dr Rose Mwebaza
An upper limit on global warming potential, set to take effect in 2029, will also guide the transition to climate-friendly refrigerants.
Commenting on this development, the Director-General of the ECN, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, described the newly approved MEPS as a game changer. ‘For ECN, many Nigerians pay excessive amounts for operating cooling systems.
‘By setting an efficient standard for air conditioning, we are taking steps to make this vital equipment more affordable and accessible while caring for the environment’.
