LASEPA Urges Lagos Residents to Embrace Sustainable Cooling as Ozone Protection Takes Centre Stage
The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) has called for wider adoption of sustainable and climate-friendly cooling practices as Nigeria joins the global community to mark the 2026 World Ozone Day.
LASEPA made the call at a sensitisation and public awareness workshop organised in collaboration with the Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADev Nigeria) and the Nigerian Association of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Practitioners (NARAP).
The workshop, held on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at the NUT Pavilion, NERDC Road, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, was organised under the theme, “Global Action for a Cooler Planet: Celebrating 10 Years of Sustainable Cooling under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.”
Beyond discussions about the ozone layer, the event focused on an issue that affects households, businesses and communities every day — how to keep people cool without worsening climate change.
Representatives of government institutions, regulatory agencies, environmental organisations, refrigeration and air-conditioning practitioners, industry stakeholders and development partners used the gathering to discuss practical ways of expanding access to efficient, affordable and environmentally friendly cooling technologies.
Speaking at the event, the General Manager of LASEPA, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, said the Agency had remained consistent in commemorating World Ozone Day because of the critical role the ozone layer plays in protecting life on Earth.
Ajayi stressed the need to make sustainable cooling accessible and affordable to different segments of society, particularly rural, remote and underserved communities.
He also appreciated SRADev Nigeria and other partners for their continued support, noting that collaboration had created opportunities for research, capacity building, innovation and access to grants.
Also speaking, the Director/Federal Controller of Environment, Southwest Region, Mrs. Olabimpe Adenaike Oladunni, explained that the ozone layer, located in the stratosphere, absorbs much of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation and helps protect life on Earth.
She recalled that scientific observations in the 1980s revealed significant seasonal depletion of the ozone layer, particularly over Antarctica, prompting international action through the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer in 1985 and the Montreal Protocol in 1987.
According to her, the global transition away from ozone-depleting substances also brought attention to the climate impacts of some replacement substances, particularly hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which have little impact on ozone depletion but can have high global warming potential.
The Executive Director of SRADev Nigeria, Dr. Leslie Adogame, congratulated LASEPA for sustaining its World Ozone Day activities and reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting ozone protection and broader climate action.
Representing the Lagos Office of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Mrs. Grace Majekodunmi also commended LASEPA for its consistent observance of World Ozone Day.
She said NESREA remained an active partner in Nigeria’s implementation of the Kigali Amendment and continued to support the phase-down of HFCs through regulatory measures, licensing and monitoring systems for ozone-depleting substances and HFC handlers.
For refrigeration and air-conditioning practitioners, the issue is particularly important because their daily work directly affects the substances used in cooling systems.
The National Executive Secretary of NARAP, Wasiu Kabiru Abiodun, said practitioners play a critical role in the installation, servicing, maintenance, repair, charging, recovery and decommissioning of cooling equipment, making their training and professional capacity essential to the transition towards sustainable cooling.
In her closing remarks, the Director of the Environmental Sustainability Unit at LASEPA, Mrs. Adebayo Adedayo, stressed the importance of continuous training and capacity building.
She noted that government could not achieve environmental objectives alone, stressing the need for stronger collaboration among development partners, technical experts, businesses, practitioners and other stakeholders.
Adedayo also appreciated the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, for his leadership and support for environmental initiatives across the state.
As temperatures rise and demand for air-conditioning and refrigeration continues to grow, stakeholders say the challenge is no longer simply about keeping homes, offices, markets and industries cool, but doing so in ways that protect the atmosphere and reduce pressure on the climate.
The 2026 World Ozone Day activities therefore provided Lagos with another opportunity to connect environmental protection with everyday choices — from the equipment people install to the professionals who maintain them.
