Africa struggles to regulate climate cooling systems industry as demand expands

People sell air conditioners on the street in Lagos, Nigeria, July 15, 2024. A man repairs air conditioners on the street in Lagos, Nigeria, July 15, 2024. A technician points at an R-22 refrigerant for an air conditioner while working in Lagos, Nigeria, July 18, 2024.

As the sun blazes down in Abuja, Ahmed Bukar turns on his home air conditioner to a blast of hot air. The cooling gas that the appliance runs on is leaking from the charging valve on the unit. A technician had recently helped him refill the air conditioner with gas, but he didn't test for possible leaks.