ADDIS ABABA
The Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol approved more than $22.3 million for cooling, energy-efficiency and ozone-protection projects across eight African countries, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced Wednesday.
The funding package covers 12 UNDP-supported projects, including seven full projects and five project-preparation grants aimed at accelerating the continent’s transition to sustainable cooling technologies, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and phasing out ozone-depleting substances.
The approved projects will support efforts to improve energy efficiency, expand access to climate-friendly cooling systems and strengthen compliance with the Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment.
The Montreal Protocol is one of the world’s most widely ratified environmental treaties. It was created to protect the ozone layer by phasing out chemicals that cause depletion.
Through the Kigali Amendment, countries also pledged to reduce hydrofluorocarbons used in cooling systems, extending ozone protection efforts to include broader climate goals.
Nigeria received the largest allocation, with nearly $18 million approved for the continuation of its Hydrochlorofluorocarbon Phase-out Management Plan and additional funding under its Kigali Implementation Plan.
The investments will support the country’s efforts to completely phase out hydrochlorofluorocarbons by 2030, strengthen regulatory and enforcement systems, professionalize the refrigeration and air-conditioning servicing sector, and accelerate the transition to climate-friendly cooling technologies.
According to UNDP, the support for Nigeria is expected to help reduce more than 4.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions while promoting low-global-warming-potential alternatives in key cooling sectors.
Energy Efficiency
The committee also approved a $4 million Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund for Ghana, positioning the country among the first globally to pilot a financing mechanism designed to accelerate the market transition to sustainable cooling.
Working with two commercial banks, the revolving fund will provide concessional financing to businesses, including hotels, supermarkets and cold-storage facilities to replace outdated cooling equipment with energy-efficient and climate-friendly alternatives. UNDP said the initiative is expected to generate significant energy savings while creating a financing model that could be replicated elsewhere in Africa.
Additional approvals include support for hydrochlorofluorocarbon phase-out programs in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, an energy-efficiency demonstration project in Angola, and project-preparation grants for energy-efficiency pilot projects in the cold-chain sector in Kenya, Angola, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal.
Xiaofang Zhou, head of UNDP’s Cooling, Circularity and Pollution Prevention Team, said the approvals reflected growing efforts by African countries to use the Montreal Protocol to advance broader development goals.
“These approvals demonstrate Africa’s growing ambition to leverage the Montreal Protocol as a powerful vehicle for cold-chain development for food security, energy efficiency and decent job creation for green growth,” Zhou said in a statement.
The approvals come as demand for cooling services across Africa continues to rise because of urbanization, economic growth, increasing temperatures and food-security needs.
By combining ozone protection, climate action, energy efficiency and innovative financing mechanisms, the projects are expected to help countries meet their environmental commitments while supporting national development priorities.
Mathias Naab, director of UNDP’s Regional Service Centre for Africa, described the projects as an important step toward strengthening climate resilience across the continent.
“These approvals demonstrate Africa’s growing leadership in sustainable cooling and climate action,” Naab said. “These innovative projects are remarkable investments that will help countries meet environmental commitments under the Montreal Protocol while creating economic opportunities for a more resilient future.”
The African approvals form part of a broader package endorsed at the 98th meeting of the Executive Committee, where 39 UNDP-supported projects across 31 countries received $56 million in grant financing, while an additional $82 million was approved in principle.
UNDP said it has mobilized more than $1 billion in grant financing through its Multilateral Fund portfolio to help countries advance ozone protection, climate action and sustainable cooling transitions.
