Minister Expresses Regret Over Energy Efficiency Of Nigeria's Air Conditioners

Dr Adeleke Mamora, the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI), has expressed regret over the low energy efficiency ratio (EER) of the Nigeria's air conditioners.

Mamora made the announcement on Thursday in Abuja during the National Stakeholders' Consultative Workshop on Energy Efficient and Climate-Friendly Cooling in Nigeria.

The Electricity Commission of Nigeria organised the one-day event (ECN).

The importance of the workshop on scaling up energy-efficient and environmentally friendly cooling in Nigeria cannot be overstated, he continued, adding that it fell below internationally acceptable minimum energy performance standards (MEPS).

“It is a fact that Nigeria is the largest market in Africa and this applies to the cooling sector also. 

“With the current growing population, combined with improving lifestyle, urbanisation and rising global warming, Nigeria will continue to experience growing demand for ACs, refrigerators and other cooling devices.

“Thus, becoming one of the fastest growing ACs and refrigerators market in the world.

“Unfortunately, most of the ACs utilised in the country have energy efficiency ratio (EER) below internationally acceptable minimum energy performance standards (MEPS),” Mamora said.

He said that Nigeria has joined the rest of the world in recognising energy efficiency as one of the most affordable ways to provide energy security through its National Energy Policy and Climate Protocols.

According to the minister, it would also boost economic output, lessen local air pollution, and contribute in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

He said that by 2030, its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) established a conditional reduction objective of 47% below the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario and an unconditional reduction target of 20% below the BAU scenario.

“To achieve this, energy efficiency best practices across all sectors, as one of the climate change mitigating priority measures, has set conditional target of 2.5 per cent per year reduction in energy intensity”.

Prof. Eli Jidere, the director-general of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), claims that fossil fuels, which are the main source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, account for 80% of the power supplied in Nigeria.

He stated that ECN had completed an energy assessment of a few Abuja public buildings in 2017 with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

He said that the survey found that space cooling accounted for more than 60% of the power used in public buildings.

“It should also be noted that 80 per cent of electricity supply in Nigeria is from fossil energy, the greatest emitter of CO₂ emissions.

“The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all” is also anchored on the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency as key pillars.”

According to Brian Hojul of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), this is a chance to enhance everyone's life and save money on power costs.

“I view this as an opportunity for us not only to improve the lives of everyday families to help a family save money on their utility bills.

“It will make your businesses more competitive.

"It will save public resources instead of the ECN and others spending so much on electricity bills free up those resources for other investments,” he said.

The minister reportedly launched a national technical committee on sustainable cooling in Nigeria, according to NAN.

The group is made up of the National Ozone Office (NOO), the Energy Commission of Nigeria, the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), and the Department of Climate Change (DCC) of the Federal Ministry of the Environment.

Others represented the organised private sector and were from Nigerian Customs.

The committee will primarily focus on data collecting, data analysis for updating MEPS, the ACs market monitoring, and verification training as it offers general recommendations for the project's execution.