The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the rollout of new Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and energy labelling for air conditioners (ACs) so cooling is more energy efficient, affordable and environmentally friendly. 

Stakeholders at a workshop on Minimum Energy Performance Standards for Air Conditioners at the Energy Commission of Nigeria headquarters in Abuja

Air conditioners are among the highest energy-consuming appliances, accounting for over 40 per cent of household electricity usage, and much of that is wasted due to outdated technology, which is common locally. This newly approved standard, aligned with international best practices, will help ensure that Nigeria is home to modern appliances that use electricity more optimally than outdated models and have power savings that can be redirected to other sectors of the economy. 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), and 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. Three efficiency steps will be implemented over time using the Nigeria Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (NSEER), an international test method tailored for local weather conditions.  From a current performance baseline, energy efficiency must improve 6% by 2026, 36% by 2029, and 48% by 2031. 

“Nigeria’s new energy efficiency standards for air conditioners, set to save 11.5 TWh of energy annually by 2040, are 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 Dr Rose Mwebaza, Africa Director and Regional Representative, UNEP.  

The transition to climate-friendly refrigerants will also be guided by an upper limit on global warming potential, set to take effect in 2029. 

Commenting on this development, the Director-General of the ECN, Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, described the newly approved MEPS as a game changer. “For ECN, we believe that many Nigerians are paying excessive amounts for operating cooling systems. By setting an efficient standard for air conditioning, we are taking steps make use of this vital equipment more affordable and accessible while caring for the environment.”