The Federal Ministry of Environment, through its Ozone Office, has begun a four-day training and certification programme for refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) technicians across the country.
The training, which is being held simultaneously in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano, and Awka, from August 18 to 21, 2025, is part of efforts at implementing the Montreal Protocol on Ozone-layer depleting substances.
It follows an earlier 2-day Train-the-Trainers refresher programme, which was recently held in Abuja, and is Nigeria’s broader effort to establish a National RAC Technician Certification Scheme, modelled after the EU’s F-Gas Certification process.
The training scheme aligns with the country’s commitments under the HCFC Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP).
Idris Abdullahi, Director, National Ozone Office, at the opening session for South/South Zone in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on August 18, 2025, said the programme was a step-down training being carried out in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), under the Hydrochloric phase-out management plan project.
Abdullahi, who was represented by Ogechukwu Eze, pointed out that the intention was to ensure the phase out of Hydrochlorofluorocarbons and adopt the use of hydrocarbons, which are ozone-friendly.
Some of the refrigerants that are used in this sector are ozone-depleting substances. So the National Ozone Office under the Ministry of Environment has the mandate to implement the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the Ozone Layer.
“The Montreal Protocol addresses the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances. So all the substances that are contributory to ozone depletion are being managed under the protocol,” Abdullahi said.
He commended the enthusiasm of participants, stating that 100 technicians are being trained in each zone. He added that participants are expected to use refrigerants more safely after the training.
Leslie Adogame, Executive Director, Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADeV Nigeria), in a goodwill message, said the project aimed to address the urgent need to reduce the emissions of F-gases and ODS in Nigeria with a focus on the implementation of the Kigali Amendment.
He explained that the Kigalli Amendment represents a global bold step to reduce the use of HFCs, and by doing so, significantly curb climate change.
Adogame, represented by Hannatu Abdul, said that SRADev was a professional, non-governmental and non-profit think tank in environmental health research and development, advocacy and action organization, actively involved in advancing the goals of the Montreal Protocol (MP), particularly through its ongoing project ‘Promoting Fast Action to Reduce Emissions of Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (F-Gases) And Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS).’
He said that as global efforts intensify to phase down the use of high-GWP hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), training technicians on the safe adoption and handling of alternative RAC (Refrigeration and Air Conditioning) technologies became a vital step in ensuring Nigeria transitions responsibly and effectively.
“This gathering speaks directly to one of the most pressing climate and development challenges of our time, the need for sustainable, climate-friendly cooling solutions. Technicians are at the heart of this transformation. Your expertise directly impacts the performance, safety, and environmental outcomes of cooling systems.
“This workshop is therefore more than just a technical session, it is a cornerstone in building national capacity and strengthening Nigeria’s commitment to environmental sustainability,” he said.
He added that without trained and certified technicians, the shift to low-GWP refrigerants cannot be achieved safely or effectively, stating;
Adogame noted that the training “provides the knowledge and hands-on experience necessary to handle new technologies, improve energy efficiency, and protect both the environment and human health.
“The accompanying certification serves as official validation, ensuring that only certified technicians are authorized to handle these technologies in government institutions and for the general public,” he said.
He commended the Federal Ministry of Environment, the designated National Authority through the National Ozone Office (NOO), facilitators, and other partners involved in making the workshop a reality.
Adogame called on the Federal Government to accord and integrate trained and certified technicians into the decision-making process, as well as professionalise the practice in Nigeria.
“As we move forward, let us see this training as the beginning of broader efforts to build a robust, environmentally conscious RAC sector in Nigeria,” he said.
Some participants at the training emphasised the need for a law and regulatory body to check RAC practice in the country, urging the Ministry of Environment and its partners to distribute equipment to the registered technicians, as most of them were either too expensive or not available in the market.
Ibadin Luckyson, the South South Zonal Vice President of the Nigerian Refrigerator and Air-conditioning Practitioners (NARAP), said, “Now that the Federal Government has taken it up as a challenge to train technicians, I believe it is a good achievement for our people. This orientation is to enhance the practice and how to safeguard lives on the cooling system, and at the same time, to preserve the ozone layer.
“And the only way that this training can be sustained is after the training, if the federal government or ministry of environment can distribute these equipment we are being trained on to practitioners,” he said.
He urged practitioners to adhere to the training and employ the knowledge gained in their practice, saying that it would help to protect lives and property.
