Assessment of Ozone-Depleting Substance Phase-Out Progress in the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Sector in Lagos

Nigeria's obligations under the Montreal Protocol require the progressive phase-out of hydrochlorofluorocarbon refrigerants in the refrigeration and air conditioning sector, with technical assistance provided through the National Ozone Office. This study assesses the progress and challenges of ozone-depleting substance phase-out in the refrigeration and air conditioning sector in Lagos State, where the greatest concentration of technicians and refrigerant import activities is located. A professional sector survey was conducted with 120 registered refrigeration and air conditioning technicians sampled from the Lagos State Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors Association, assessing refrigerant use patterns, awareness of Montreal Protocol requirements, uptake of alternative refrigerants, and access to reclaim and recycle equipment. Import data and National Ozone Office programme records were reviewed to assess aggregate phase-out trends at the sector level. Findings indicate that hydrochlorofluorocarbon-22 remains the dominant refrigerant in active use among surveyed technicians, with only 28 percent reporting regular use of lower global warming potential alternatives. Refrigerant recovery and reclaim practices are poorly adopted, with only 19 percent of technicians reporting use of recovery equipment. Awareness of alternative refrigerant technical requirements is limited, creating safety concerns around improvised handling of flammable alternatives. Training programme reach by the National Ozone Office in Lagos has covered approximately 35 percent of registered technicians in the past five years. Recommendations include accelerated technician training and certification, subsidised provision of recovery equipment, and supply chain restrictions on continued hydrochlorofluorocarbon-22 sales to untrained technicians. Keywords: ozone-depleting substances, Montreal Protocol, refrigeration sector, Lagos, refrigerant phase-out.