Air pollution has emerged as one of Nigeria’s most pressing public health and environmental challenges. According to the 2021 Air Quality Report, which assesses pollution based on fine particulate matter (PM2.5), Nigeria ranks as the third most polluted country in Africa and the eighteenth most polluted globally. Estimates from the Global Burden of Disease (2023) and the World Health Organization further underline the severity of the issue, showing that more than 150,000 Nigerians die each year from illnesses linked to polluted air. This number is significantly higher than the approximately 49,000 deaths from HIV/AIDS, exceeds the roughly 110,000 deaths from tuberculosis, and is only slightly below the estimated 200,000 deaths from malaria. Together, these numbers show just how serious the air pollution problem is in Nigeria and how much it is impacting people’s health and daily lives.
At the center of this problem is fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅), which consists of microscopic particles capable of entering the lungs and bloodstream. Long-term exposure increases the risk of heart disease, lung disease, stroke, and child pneumonia. Children, older adults, and individuals living in densely populated or industrial areas face the greatest risks.
Major Sources of Air Pollution in Nigeria
Air pollution in Nigeria is driven primarily by human activities, as highlighted in studies by the Federal Ministry of Environment and the World Bank (2022). One of the biggest contributors is the transport sector. Lagos has more than five million vehicles, many of which are old or poorly maintained, resulting in exhaust fumes and road dust that account for an estimated 70 percent of the city’s PM₂.₅ pollution.
Industrial activities and gas flaring form another major source, particularly in Port Harcourt and the Niger Delta. Refinery operations, petrochemical industries, and illegal oil processing release large volumes of soot, contributing to the persistent “black soot” events documented in the region.
Open waste burning is also widespread. Due to gaps in waste management systems, communities often resort to burning refuse, which releases harmful smoke and chemical pollutants.
Biomass use for cooking is a significant factor as well. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (2024), 67.8 percent of Nigerian households use firewood, while 22 percent use charcoal. This exposes millions to indoor air pollution while contributing to ongoing deforestation.
In northern regions, the combination of Harmattan dust, open construction sites, and Saharan dust transport further raises PM₂.₅ levels. Studies show that Saharan dust accounts for 40 to 50 percent of particulate concentrations in cities like Kano and Maiduguri during peak Harmattan periods.
Each of these sources varies in intensity across different regions, but together they shape the country’s broader air-quality challenges.
How Nigeria’s Air Quality Compares With Global Standards
Air-quality measurements from across the country show pollutant levels consistently exceeding global safety thresholds. The World Health Organization recommends that annual PM₂.₅ levels remain below 5 micrograms per cubic meter, with daily levels not exceeding 15 micrograms per cubic meter.
However, studies in Lagos published in the Bio-Research Journal (2023) recorded concentrations ranging from 15 to 35 micrograms per cubic meter, which is three to six times higher than the recommended limit. In Port Harcourt, research published by Cambridge Research Publications (2023) found PM₂.₅ levels between 40 and 65 micrograms per cubic meter in industrial areas, which is up to ten times higher than the WHO guideline.
Exposure at these levels heightens the risk of respiratory infections, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, and premature death. WHO has emphasized that there is no safe level of PM₂.₅ exposure, making Nigeria’s current air quality conditions particularly concerning.
Health and Economic Impacts
The consequences of air pollution reach far beyond respiratory health. They place a significant burden on families, communities, and the wider economy. The World Bank (2022) estimates that Nigeria loses more than 11 billion dollars each year to pollution-related health costs and productivity losses. A 2023 study by the World Bank IFC reported that polluted air reduces worker productivity by 6 to 9 percent in major cities.
Children experience some of the worst impacts. UNICEF recorded 67,400 child pneumonia deaths linked to air pollution in 2019, which averages to 185 deaths each day. Recent studies show that children exposed to higher PM₂.₅ concentrations also experience reduced cognitive performance, adding long-term implications for learning and national human-capital development.
These findings illustrate how pollution increases illness, reduces economic output, and slows national development progress.
Where Air Pollution Meets Climate Change
Air pollution and climate change are often treated as separate issues, but in reality they share common sources and solutions. Pollutants such as black carbon (soot) and methane—both common in Nigeria due to gas flaring, waste burning, and combustion of diesel and biomass—warm the atmosphere while simultaneously harming human health. Methane traps heat 80 times more effectively than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, while black carbon absorbs sunlight and accelerates warming. This overlap means that Nigeria’s efforts to reduce pollution can also advance its climate goals. Cutting emissions from vehicles, generators, open burning, and fossil fuel operations produces immediate health benefits and contributes to long-term climate stability.
National Efforts to Improve Air Quality
Nigeria has taken steps to address the problem through several national policies and initiatives. These include the National Action Plan to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants, which targets emissions such as methane and black carbon; the National Clean Cooking Policy, which aims for universal access to clean-cooking technologies by 2030; and the Energy Transition Plan, which outlines a pathway towards cleaner and more reliable energy systems. The Federal Ministry of Environment is also expanding the National Air-Quality Monitoring and Control Programme, while the 80 Million Clean Cookstoves Initiative seeks to reduce indoor pollution and halt deforestation. Although implementation remains uneven, these efforts signal growing recognition that cleaner air is essential to health and sustainable development.
What More Needs to Be Done
To tackle air pollution in a meaningful way, and drawing on best practices from countries that have faced similar challenges, Nigeria needs to combine efforts that reduce emissions with measures that protect public health. On the mitigation side, this means enforcing modern vehicle and generator emission standards, improving mass transit, encouraging electric mobility, scaling up renewable energy, strengthening waste-management systems and phasing out routine gas flaring. Expanding access to affordable clean-cooking solutions is also crucial, given the high levels of indoor smoke exposure in many households.
On the adaptation side, Nigeria would benefit from stronger real-time air-quality monitoring, clear public alerts during high-pollution periods and urban planning that takes air quality into account. Increasing green spaces and improving healthcare services for respiratory and cardiovascular conditions would further help reduce the health burden. Public awareness remains essential, since educating households and communities about pollution risks can support behaviour change and build a shared commitment to cleaner a
Looking Ahead
Nigeria’s air pollution challenge is serious, but it is not insurmountable. A combination of cleaner transportation, modern energy solutions, stronger regulatory enforcement, and better waste management can save lives and strengthen the national economy. Clean air is essential for healthy communities and sustainable development. With the right policies, Nigeria can build a future where every individual has access to the clean and healthy air they deserve.
Author Brief:
Ukachi Chidalu Alexandria is a student of Public Health at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria. Her research interests focus on health, mental health, climate change, and environmental issues, with particular attention to their impacts on public well-being in developing contexts. Passionate about evidence-based environmental health advocacy, she aims to contribute to sustainable public health solutions through interdisciplinary research and community engagement.
