The federal government has reiterated its commitment to completely phase out Nigeria’s baseline consumption of 344.9 Tonnes of Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) by 2040
This is even as it has commenced stage three of its Hydrochlorofluorocarbons Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP) project in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
Recall that Nigeria is a party to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. This is a Multilateral Environmental Agreement that regulates the production and consumption of man-made chemicals referred to as Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS). Under the treaty, parties have specific responsibilities related to the phase-out of different groups of ODS. In September 2007, Parties to the Protocol decided to accelerate their phase out schedule for HCFC, which are gases used worldwide in refrigeration, air conditioning and foam applications, being ozone-depleting substances and powerful greenhouse gases. Developing countries, including Nigeria, agreed to start their phase-out process in 2013 and are now following a stepwise reduction until complete phase- out by 2040.
The minister of State, Federal Ministry of Environment, Iziaq Adekunle Salako, at the official commissioning of the Ozone and Climate-friendly Air Conditioning Manufacturing Line at Sacral Industries Limited, on Thursday, in Lagos, said the project is being implemented in stages and having completed stages one and two, the Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol, has approved stage three, which is currently being implemented.
The focus of stage three is on the conversion of eligible companies in the Refrigeration & Air Conditioning manufacturing sector from the use of HCFCs to ozone-friendly and low global warming potential alternatives such as Hydrocarbons, to help Nigeria meets its target of 67.5 per cent reduction in HCFC baseline consumption by 2025, the Minister disclosed, adding that the project will assist the country in its compliance with the Montreal Protocol provisions, thereby raising the country’s status amongst the Committee of Nations as a model of success in the implementation of the Montreal Protocol.
One of the beneficiary companies assisted under the project is Sacral Industries Ltd, which hitherto uses HCFC-22 & HFC-410a, a climate-potent gas in the manufacture of Air Conditioning equipment, Salako, averred, adding that, “The assistance provided includes the conversion of the company AC manufacturing line from the use of ozone-depleting substances to ozone and climate-friendly substances, redesigning and adapting the line for flammable refrigerants through modifications and purchase of new equipment, staff training, test running/pilot production and dissemination of lessons learned. The converted line will also lead to the phase-out of 10.93 Metric Tonnes of HCFC-22, thereby contributing to the achievement of Nigeria’s 67.5 per cent reduction target of HCFC baseline consumption by 2025.”
Speaking on other benefits, the minister stated that the project will provide for the country, availability of ozone-friendly and low global warming potential air conditioners in the country; generation of foreign exchange for the country from the export of the company’s products and foreign exchange savings from local production; building capacity of indigenous AC manufacturing companies in the manufacture of ozone and climate-friendly air conditioners and creation of jobs and generate wealth for the citizens.
Salako however reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to the implementation of the Montreal Protocol and its ODS phase-out programme in Nigeria, while assuring that the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda and Skills Up Acquisition programme of promoting indigenous production, will put in place all necessary policies and enabling legislations that will sustain the phase-out of HCFC-22 in the Refrigeration & Air-conditioning Manufacturing sector in Nigeria.
In the same vein, the deputy to the director general and the managing director of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development, UNIDO, Ciyong Zou, said the conversation at the Sacral Energy Factory is part of Nigeria’s third phase of phasing out hazardous substances causing ozone depletion. “In this third stage, Nigeria is committed to reducing the country’s consumption of ozone-depleting substances by 70 per cent of the baseline set in 2010,” he added.
In a faster-growing Nigeria, refrigeration and air-conditioning appliances, according to about 40 per cent of the electricity used in residential houses.
According to the Nigeria Cooling Action Plan, it is estimated that the number of air-conditioning units in Nigeria will reach 71 million units by 2050. This could be translated into 10 million units every year.
“Thus, the energy demand for energy-conditioning appliances will increase in the coming days. Air-conditioning rooms are not a luxury but a necessity.
This is very scientific evidence that performance and productivity are better in air-conditioned offices and schools,” Zou affirmed.
For boosting Nigeria’s economic development,
more climate-friendly and energy-efficient air-conditioning appliances need to be supplied to the Nigerian market at an affordable price, Zou said, adding that, Sacral Industries has been an early adopter, and took up the challenge in becoming a pioneer to start manufacturing more climate-friendly air-conditioning appliances. With support from the Nigerian National Ozone Unit and UNIDO, Sacral Industries successfully completed the conversion of its manufacturing process using a more environmentally friendly and efficient refrigerant, he added.
Zou assured that UNIDO will continue assisting the government of Nigeria to neutralise its manufacturing sector through the promotion of sustainable industrial development, while inviting more companies to join this initiative.
The managing director, Sacral Industries Limited, Rajeev Girglani, however applauded the federal government and UNIDO for their support in the company’s transition to a clean and green company. “Aside from being environmentally friendly, the products, produced by Daikin, consume less electricity in comparison to previous products. These new products consume about 15 to 18 per cent low electricity consumption,” he added.
