Addis Ababa, July 2026 – The Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund (MLF) for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol has approved a package of 12 UNDP-supported projects for Africa, mobilizing more than US$22.3 million in funding to accelerate the continent’s transition toward sustainable cooling, energy efficiency, climate action and ozone layer protection. 

The approved portfolio includes seven full projects and five project preparation grants across eight African countries, supporting efforts to phase out ozone-depleting substances, reduce climate-warming hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), improve energy efficiency and expand access to sustainable cooling technologies. 

Among the most significant approvals was a package of nearly US$18 million for Nigeria, including support for the continuation of its Hydrochlorofluorocarbon 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 CO₂equivalent emissions while promoting low-global-warming-potential alternatives in key cooling sectors.

The meeting also approved an innovative US$4 million 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will provide concessional financing for businesses such as hotels, supermarkets, and cold storage facilities to replace outdated cooling equipment with energy-efficient and climate-friendly alternatives.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. The approvals for Ghana in particular showcase innovative approaches that other countries in Africa can learn from.”