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 Adamawa Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Adamawa

Adamawa faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 4.5 million across 21 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 22.7µg/m³. That's 4.5 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 377 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 Adamawa met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.73 years longer.

That's 7.8M years of life stolen from 4.5 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 Adamawa. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Yola North
2.3 years lost
2.Yola South
2.2 years lost
3.Numan
2.2 years lost
4.Demsa
2.2 years lost
5.Lamurde
2.2 years lost
6.Gombi
2 years lost
7.Guyuk
2 years lost
8.Fufore
1.9 years lost
9.Mayo-Belwa
1.8 years lost
10.Teungo
1.8 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

3.1%

140K

15-25 µg/m³

60.1%

2.7M

25-35 µg/m³

36.7%

1.7M

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 21 Districts in Adamawa

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Demsa	594K	27.3	2.2 years
Hong	437K	18.1	1.3 years
Song	323K	21.3	1.6 years
Mayo-Belwa	292K	23.9	1.8 years
Ganye	287K	22.4	1.7 years
Fufore	279K	24.8	1.9 years
Guyuk	244K	25.0	2.0 years
Mubi North	218K	16.9	1.2 years
Michika	206K	15.6	1.0 years
Lamurde	203K	27.0	2.2 years
Yola South	184K	27.7	2.2 years
Girie	173K	18.4	1.3 years
Shelleng	156K	22.4	1.7 years
Numan	152K	27.3	2.2 years
Madagali	140K	14.2	0.9 years
Gombi	139K	25.4	2.0 years
Yola North	136K	28.3	2.3 years
Jada	111K	22.4	1.7 years
Maiha	84K	18.9	1.4 years
Teungo	77K	23.3	1.8 years
Mubi South	61K	16.4	1.1 years

Showing 21 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Adamawa is Injurious to Health.