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 Borno Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Borno

Borno faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 6.7 million across 27 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 12.5µg/m³. That's 2.5 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 207 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 Borno met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.75 years longer.

That's 5.0M years of life stolen from 6.7 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 Borno. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Shani
1.6 years lost
2.Bayo
1.6 years lost
3.Hawul
1.5 years lost
4.Kwaya Kusar
1.4 years lost
5.Biu
1.4 years lost
6.Askira/Uba
1.1 years lost
7.Chibok
1.1 years lost
8.Damboa
0.9 years lost
9.Kaga
0.8 years lost
10.Gwoza
0.8 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

26.8%

1.8M

10-15 µg/m³

55%

3.7M

15-25 µg/m³

18.2%

1.2M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 27 Districts in Borno

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Konduga	926K	11.8	0.7 years
Maiduguri	500K	12.1	0.7 years
Damboa	430K	14.2	0.9 years
Gwoza	419K	12.8	0.8 years
Bama	339K	11.0	0.6 years
Ngala	293K	11.7	0.7 years
Askira/Uba	286K	16.4	1.1 years
Magumeri	276K	9.5	0.4 years
Biu	251K	19.1	1.4 years
Gubio	241K	9.3	0.4 years
Mobbar	228K	9.0	0.4 years
Jere	221K	11.5	0.6 years
Kukawa	219K	9.8	0.5 years
Hawul	210K	19.8	1.5 years
Marte	209K	10.2	0.5 years
Nganzai	190K	9.3	0.4 years
Mafa	187K	9.8	0.5 years
Guzamala	182K	9.3	0.4 years
Dikwa	160K	10.1	0.5 years
Shani	142K	21.8	1.6 years
Monguno	138K	9.6	0.4 years
Abadam	137K	8.0	0.3 years
Kaga	130K	12.9	0.8 years
Bayo	121K	20.9	1.6 years
Chibok	111K	16.3	1.1 years
Kwaya Kusar	99K	19.7	1.4 years
Kala/Balge	65K	12.1	0.7 years

Showing 27 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Borno is Injurious to Health.