$22.3m for sustainable cooling projects in Africa
19th August 2026
ETHIOPIA: Twelve projects in Africa are to receive more than US$22.3m in funding to accelerate the continent’s transition toward sustainable cooling, energy efficiency, climate action and ozone layer protection.
The money approved by the Multilateral Fund (MLF) for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol for UNDP-supported projects includes seven full projects and five project preparation grants across eight African countries.
Among the most significant approvals was a package of nearly $18m for Nigeria, including support for the continuation of its HFC Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP), the approval in principle of HPMP Stage IV, and additional funding for the country’s Kigali Implementation Plan (KIP).
These investments will support Nigeria’s efforts to completely phase out HCFCs by 2030, strengthen regulatory and enforcement systems, professionalize the refrigeration and air-conditioning servicing sector, and accelerate the transition to climate-friendly cooling technologies.
The KIP support is expected to help reduce more than 4.2 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions while promoting low GWP alternatives in key cooling sectors.
The meeting also approved $4m Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for Ghana, positioning the country among the first globally to pilot a new innovative financing mechanism designed to accelerate market transformation for sustainable cooling.
Through partnerships with two national commercial banks, the revolving fund will provide concessional financing for businesses such as hotels, supermarkets, and cold storage facilities to replace outdated cooling equipment with energy-efficient and climate-friendly alternatives. The initiative is expected to deliver significant energy savings and create a sustainable financing model that can be replicated across Africa and beyond.
Additional approvals include HPMP implementation 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. These project preparation grants will enable countries to develop full investment proposals for consideration by the Multilateral Fund, further expanding Africa’s pipeline of sustainable cooling and energy efficiency initiatives.
Commenting on the approvals, Ms Xiaofang Zhou , head of UNDP’s cooling, circularity, and pollution prevention team noted: “These approvals demonstrate Africa’s growing ambition to leverage the Montreal Protocol as a powerful vehicle for the cold chain development for food security, energy efficiency, and decent job creation for green growth.”
These approvals form part of a broader package endorsed at the 98th Meeting of the Executive Committee, where 39 UNDP-supported projects across 31 countries were approved, representing $56m in grant financing and $82m approved in principle. Through its Multilateral Fund portfolio, UNDP has now mobilised more than $1bn in grant financing to support countries in advancing ozone protection, climate action and sustainable cooling transitions.
