The World Bank has warned that the growing dependence on air conditioning (AC) to cope with rising temperatures could put severe pressure on electricity grids in Nigeria and other developing countries, particularly those with weak or limited power infrastructure.

The warning was contained in the World Development Report 2025: Standards for Development, recently released by the World Bank.

The report noted that as global temperatures rise, demand for cooling is accelerating, especially in rapidly urbanising and low-income regions.

While active cooling, particularly air conditioning, remains one of the most effective ways to adapt to extreme heat, it is also highly energy-intensive.

“As adoption increases, it will increasingly strain power grids, especially in regions with limited electricity infrastructure,” the World Bank stated.

The report also highlighted opportunities for efficiency improvements, noting that:

“Evidence from India, Indonesia, and Nigeria shows that doubling the energy efficiency of room air conditioners by 2030 could reduce their life-cycle costs by 60 per cent and provide an additional 320 million people with access to them by 2050.”

To address the challenge, the Bank emphasised the importance of policy tools such as minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) and building codes. It said combining these measures would allow governments to develop flexible, context-specific solutions that reflect local climate conditions, housing types, and income levels.