LocationsGuarding Ghana’s Energy Efficiency Gains
September 28, 2026
Some energy efficiency appliances.
In 2012, Ghana's energy-efficiency enforcement data showed that over two million inefficient or used refrigerators were already in use across the country. A used refrigerator can consume several times more electricity than a new, efficient model, and a used air conditioner's consumption is even higher. This points to a problem that starts long before an appliance reaches a home or business shops.
To curb this, Ghana has put regulations in place to control the importation of inefficient and prohibited cooling appliances and refrigerants. The L.I. 1932 prohibits the importation of used and inefficient refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, freezers and air conditioners. L.I. 2441, the Energy Efficiency Standards and Labelling (Refrigerating Appliances) Regulations, 2022, L.I. 2458, the Energy Efficiency Standards and Labelling (Air Conditioners) Regulations, 2022, and the Environmental Protection Regulations L.I. 2505 (L.I 2025) establish energy-efficiency requirements for regulated cooling appliances and refrigerants.
According to the Energy Commission, the regulations are intended to prevent Ghana from becoming a destination for substandard and used appliances, reduce electricity wastage and protect consumers from inefficient appliances and unnecessarily high electricity bills.
However having regulations is one thing and their effective implementation, particularly, knowing what to check when a shipment arrives at the border, is another. To strengthen the understanding, knowledge and skills of Customs officials in enforcing the new regulations on cooling appliances and refrigerants, a nationwide training programme on energy efficiency and HFC management was conducted for Customs officers across nine collection centres. The programme was designed to be gender-responsive and was informed by a targeted training needs assessment.
The capacity building was delivered under the Training Programme on the implementation of New Regulations on Cooling Appliances and Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) is being implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Energy Commission and Environmental Protection Authority.
From Takoradi, Aflao and Ho in the south to Kumasi, Tamale, Bolgatanga and Paga in the middle and northern parts of the country, and Tema and Accra, officers were taken through the rules governing cooling appliances, refrigerants and energy efficiency.
What should an officer look for?
Officers were sensitized on basic national regulations, the Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), energy labels, QR codes, appliance registration, and technical documentation. They were taken through inspection procedures, including how to identify non-compliant products, when products may be detained or seized, how to document and refer cases, and which products are prohibited.
Case studies and group exercises allowed officers to work through examples of non-compliant imports and discuss how they would respond. The training also addressed gender-responsive enforcement and coordination among regulatory entities.
For Aidoo Matthew (location), one of the clearest takeaways was knowing what information to look for on an appliance.
“What stood out for me was learning what to look for when examining cooling appliances, including the energy label and the information it provides. These are practical checks we can apply at our entry points.”
For another Customs officer, Kwasi Divor Ayewonu (Location), the training brought greater clarity to the checks he needs to make.
“Going forward, I will pay closer attention to the energy label, registration and other compliance requirements when examining cooling appliances. This training has made those checks much clearer.”
These are the kinds of changes the training was designed to support and turn regulatory requirements into checks that officers can apply when goods arrive.
The details that make or break an import
Under Ghana’s mandatory standards and labelling regime, regulated appliances must meet minimum energy-performance requirements, be registered and carry the required label. The Energy Commission’s guidance states that the label provides information on an appliance’s energy performance and includes a QR code generated after the appliance has been approved and registered in the product database.
For air conditioners, the requirements have also been updated. From 1 December 2025, non-ducted air conditioners below 4kW must meet a minimum Annual Energy Efficiency Ratio of 3.22 for variable-speed/inverter compressors and 3.66 for fixed-speed compressors for registration and importation.
For a Customs officer, knowing these details changes the question at the point of entry from simply “What is in this shipment?” to “Does this product meet Ghana’s requirements?”
Taking the knowledge back to the border
The programme is part of Ghana’s wider effort to improve the efficiency of the refrigeration and air-conditioning sector and manage HFCs. Ghana’s National Cooling Plan identifies MEPS, labelling and the adoption of high-efficiency, low-GWP cooling technologies as part of the transition towards sustainable cooling. Ghana has also committed to achieving 70 percent penetration of very-low-GWP refrigerants in air conditioners by 2030 under its NDC.
The training has focused on helping the officers at the border understand them, recognise what compliance looks like and know what to do when a product does not meet the requirements. That is where the impact of the training will ultimately be seen in the checks made on the next cooling appliance that arrives at Ghana’s border.
The training is made possible through support from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).
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