As demand for cooling, refrigeration, lighting and other energy-consuming appliances continues to grow across Africa, ensuring that products entering the market are efficient, safe and compliant has become increasingly important for consumers, businesses and energy systems.

In this EELA webinar, experts from across Africa will examine how Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), energy labels, harmonised testing procedures and compliance frameworks contribute to consumer protection, market transformation and sustainable energy development. The session will explore how these instruments help improve product quality, support informed consumer choice, strengthen market surveillance and create an enabling environment for investment in high-quality and energy-efficient technologies.

The webinar will also highlight the critical role of standards and labelling in reducing electricity demand, easing pressure on power systems, lowering energy costs for households and businesses, and supporting national energy efficiency and climate objectives.

WHY ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS AND LABELLING MATTER

Across sub-Saharan Africa, demand for appliances such as air conditioners, refrigerators, fans and lighting products is growing rapidly, driven by urbanization, economic development, rising incomes and increasing cooling needs. While these technologies contribute significantly to improved living standards, productivity and economic development, they also play an increasingly important role in shaping future electricity demand.

The widespread availability of inefficient or substandard products can undermine energy efficiency efforts, increase electricity costs for consumers, create additional pressure on already constrained power systems and compromise market confidence. Inefficient products also reduce the effectiveness of public investments in energy access, grid development and renewable energy deployment.

Minimum Energy Performance Standards, energy labels, product registration systems and harmonised testing procedures therefore represent critical market-enabling instruments. They help ensure that appliances placed on the market meet minimum quality and efficiency requirements, provide reliable information to consumers, strengthen fair competition and support the development of sustainable and transparent markets.

The webinar will showcase regional progress across ECOWAS, EAC and SADC, highlighting efforts to establish harmonised regulatory frameworks, testing procedures, compliance mechanisms and labelling systems that can accelerate market transformation across Africa.

While each region is progressing along its own pathway, all face a common challenge: translating policy frameworks and standards into effective market implementation and enforcement. This webinar provides an opportunity to share experiences, exchange lessons learned and strengthen cooperation between regions working towards common energy efficiency objectives.

WEBINAR OBJECTIVES

The webinar pursues the following objectives:

• Raise awareness of the importance of MEPS, energy labels and compliance frameworks in protecting consumers and strengthening markets.
• Highlight the contribution of appliance efficiency standards to energy security, sustainable development and climate objectives.
• Share regional experiences and lessons learned from ECOWAS, EAC and SADC.
• Showcase practical tools, including testing procedures, compliance frameworks and product registration systems.
• Promote regional cooperation and harmonization in support of appliance efficiency, consumer protection and fair competition across African markets.

TARGET AUDIENCE

The webinar targets a continent-wide audience across the three regions:

• Ministries responsible for energy, industry, trade and finance, and national energy-efficiency agencies;
• National standards bodies and energy regulators;
• Customs and market-surveillance authorities;
• Private sector manufacturers, importers, distributors, retailers and energy service companies;
• Energy-management practitioners;
• Consumer associations and civil society organisations;
• Others.

DATE: 23 July 2026 AT 9AM GMT/ 11 AM SAST /12PM EAT

AGENDA (Moderator: Mr. Readlay Makaliki, SACREEE)