World Ozone Day: Nigeria reiterates commitment to environment friendly habitation

The Nigerian government says it remains committed to improve the environment and make it more friendly for habitation.

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Environment Sharon Ikeazor stated this as the country joins the rest of the world to commemorate this year‘s World Ozone Day.

She explained that the Ministry will intensify its awareness creation activities on the importance of Ozone Layer Protection, including collaboration with relevant stakeholders, as well as training and effective monitoring of technicians in the affected sectors on Ozone friendly technologies.

“In recent years, the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with UNDP, UNIDO, GIZ, World Bank and UNEP, as the Implementing Agencies, has been implementing the Montreal Protocol’s Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) phase out programme in Nigeria,” she stated.

Conversion of technology line
She noted that in line with the Protocol’s ODS phase-out schedule, the Ministry has converted the technology line of over 700 enterprises in the Foam, Refrigeration and Air conditioning, Aerosols, Fire protection and Solvent-Making industries to Ozone friendly ones.

This she said has facilitated the 100% phasing out of over 4000 Metric Tonnes of both the actual Ozone Depleting Substances, and those with high Ozone Depletion Potentials such as CFCs, Halons, Carbon Tetrachloide and Methyl Bromide.

“In addition, we identified 26 Institutions, Polytechnics and Government Technical Colleges that offer Refrigeration and Air conditioning courses and equipped them to serve as Training Centers on Good Refrigeration Practices. 

“We have also trained the Trainers from the identified centers and developed Training Manuals on Good Refrigeration Practices. These have led to the training of more than 10,000 Refrigeration Technicians in the Cooling Sector,” she explained.

Commissioning of upgraded facility
Ikeazor said the Ministry also completed and commissioned an upgraded System House at Vitapur Nig. Ltd, a subsidiary of Vitafoam Nig Ltd, for the formulation of Ozone-friendly systems in the manufacture of rigid polyurethane foam in 2020.

“In our efforts to further protect the Ozone Layer and the Climate, in accordance with the Montreal Protocol’s provisions of greening the cooling sector, the Ministry, in collaboration with UNDP has developed a National Cooling Plan, which defines the pathway for reducing indirect and direct emissions of Greenhouse gases through enforcement of the Minimum Energy Performance Standards, MEPS policy for cooling equipment and the phase down of high Global Warming Potential, refrigerants and foam blowing agents,” the Minister stated.

Ikeazor added that the National Cooling Plan will soon be launched as the Ministry prepare to incorporate it into its Nationally Determined Contributions.

The World Ozone Day is an annual event that commemorates the date of the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, in 1987.

The theme for this year‘s World Ozone Day, which is “Montreal Protocol: Keeping us, our food and vaccines cool,” seeks to highlight the broader impact of the Montreal Protocol, which is doing a lot in helping to reduce the impact of climate change through its Kigali Amendment on the phase down of Hydrofluorocarbons -the potent Green House Gases, GHGs used as refrigerants.

Nneka Ukachukwu