PM2.5 stands for particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller. These particles are 30 times thinner than a human hair and come from car exhaust, power plants, wildfires, and burning fuel. They are small enough to bypass your body's natural defenses and enter your bloodstream.

How does air pollution affect the body?

Air pollution affects virtually every organ in the body. PM2.5 particles enter your lungs, pass into your bloodstream, and travel to your heart, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. This causes chronic inflammation, increasing risks of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, dementia, and many other conditions.

How many people are affected by air pollution?

99% of the global population breathes air that exceeds WHO safety guidelines. Air pollution kills approximately 8 million people every year—more than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

Nigeria's Abia Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Abia

Abia faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 4.3 million across 17 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 30.1µg/m³. That's 6.0 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 499 cigarettes in a year.

Trends

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 µg/m³.

Health Impact

Life Expectancy Impact

If Abia met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 2.47 years longer.

That's 10.7M years of life stolen from 4.3 million people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 10 most polluted districts in Abia. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Aba South
3 years lost
2.Aba North
3 years lost
3.Osisioma Ngwa
3 years lost
4.Ukwa West
3 years lost
5.Ugwunagbo
3 years lost
6.Ukwa East
2.9 years lost
7.Obi Ngwa
2.9 years lost
8.Isiala Ngwa South
2.6 years lost
9.Arochukwu
2.5 years lost
10.Ikwuano
2.5 years lost

Exposure

Population Exposure by Pollution Level

Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³—only populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.

< 5 µg/m³

5-10 µg/m³

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

16.1%

698K

25-35 µg/m³

53%

2.3M

> 35 µg/m³

30.9%

1.3M

Districts

All 17 Districts in Abia

Complete air quality data for every district in Abia, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Aba South	454K	35.7	3.0 years
Umuahia North	439K	27.1	2.2 years
Ohafia	419K	25.1	2.0 years
Obi Ngwa	383K	34.7	2.9 years
Osisioma Ngwa	355K	35.5	3.0 years
Aba North	278K	35.7	3.0 years
Bende	275K	24.1	1.9 years
Umu Nneochi	265K	18.6	1.3 years
Arochukwu	241K	30.2	2.5 years
Ikwuano	206K	30.1	2.5 years
Isiala Ngwa South	204K	32.0	2.6 years
Isiala Ngwa North	203K	29.9	2.4 years
Isuikwuato	158K	21.2	1.6 years
Ukwa West	154K	35.4	3.0 years
Umuahia South	134K	28.3	2.3 years
Ugwunagbo	102K	35.3	3.0 years
Ukwa East	72K	35.0	2.9 years

Showing 17 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Abia is Injurious to Health.