New appliance import rules take effect Dec 1

Ghana’s Energy Commission has announced the full-scale enforcement of sweeping new energy efficiency and labelling regulations covering electrical appliances and renewable energy products, with strict import requirements scheduled to take effect from December 1, 2025.

The measures stem from 19 Legislative Instruments (L.I.) passed by Parliament in 2022 to regulate the appliance market, reduce electricity waste, and protect consumers from high energy bills.

A one-year moratorium that ended in November 2023 allowed importers to adjust, but the Commission said that the transition period is now over, and strict compliance will be required.

According to a public notice issued by the Commission on Monday, November 17, 2025, all importers of air conditioners, refrigerators, televisions, electric motors, solar panels, washing machines, microwave ovens, and other regulated appliances will be required to meet the new registration, testing, and labelling standards before their products are cleared at the ports.

A major part of the enforcement focuses on improving the energy efficiency of air conditioners in the Ghanaian market.

From December 2025:

Non-ducted air conditioners with cooling capacity below 4kW must meet a minimum Annual Energy Efficiency Ratio (AEER) of 3.22 for inverter types and 3.66 for fixed-speed compressors.
Import of air conditioners under the old 2005 regulations is banned. Importers who fail to comply will pay enforcement surcharges and be required to re-test products under the new standards.
Any appliance arriving after 1st December 2025 that fail to meet the new rules will be re-exported.

The Energy Commission says existing appliances already displayed in showrooms or stored in warehouses will be allowed to be sold. However, both the old and new labels will operate concurrently until July 2026, when full compliance with the updated labeling system becomes mandatory.

Retailers are being encouraged to begin transitioning to more energy-efficient models, including inverter air conditioners, to align with the new regulations and protect consumers from high electricity costs.