During a SophiA Training the Trainers session in Karlsruhe, participants from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Malawi and Uganda shared the latest updates on national efforts to phase-out HCFC R22.
The EU-funded “Sustainable Off-grid solutions for Pharmacies and Hospitals in Africa” (SophiA) project concluded on a final event on September 15-19, 2025, in Karlsruhe, Germany.
The week started with a two-day Training the Trainers session, attended by over 30 participants from the SophiA pilot countries – Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Malawi and Uganda – as well as partners from the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR), RAACH Solar, U-3ARC and 2iE in Burkina Faso.
Participants from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Malawi and Uganda shared national efforts to phase-out R22 from their respective countries.
R22 phase-out in Burkina Faso
In Burkina Faso, import of R22 is restricted and will be banned in 2030. Capacity building efforts are underway to facilitate the adoption of refrigeration systems using natural refrigerants.
It should be noted that the country is a regional leader in the area of renewable energy, with 20% of electricity produced from solar energy.
R22 phase-out in Cameroon
The Cameroonian Ministry of Environment has banned the import of R22 into Cameroon. R410, an HFC, will be banned from import into the Cameroonian market in 2035.
In partnership with National Ozone Unit (NOU), capacity building efforts are underway to facilitate the adoption of domestic refrigerators using R600a. Awareness campaigns are also planned to inform the population about proper use of R290 air conditioners.
R22 phase-out in Malawi
In Malawi, import of R22 is restricted and will be banned in 2030.
In partnership with National Ozone Unit (NOU), yearly training sessions are organised to familiarise RAC technicians with natural refrigerants.
R22 phase-out in Uganda
In partnership with National Ozone Unit (NOU), the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) is regulating the management of ODS. In Uganda, import of R22 is currently restricted to a selection of authorised importers. Import of R22 into the country will be banned in 2030 while import of HFC will be banned in 2040.
In partnership with GIZ (the German Corporation for International Cooperation), capacity building efforts are underway to facilitate the adoption of domestic refrigerators using R600a.
This article was written by Monique Baha, scientific writer at IIR.
