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 Edo Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Edo

Edo faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 5.0 million across 18 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 23.6µg/m³. That's 4.7 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 392 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 Edo met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.81 years longer.

That's 9.1M years of life stolen from 5.0 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 Edo. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Ikpoba-Okha
2.1 years lost
2.Oredo
2.1 years lost
3.Egor
2 years lost
4.Ovia South-West
2 years lost
5.Uhunmwonde
1.9 years lost
6.Orhionmwon
1.9 years lost
7.Ovia North-East
1.9 years lost
8.Esan West
1.8 years lost
9.Esan North-East
1.8 years lost
10.Esan Central
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

15-25 µg/m³

63.9%

3.2M

25-35 µg/m³

36.1%

1.8M

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 18 Districts in Edo

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Ikpoba-Okha	841K	26.9	2.1 years
Egor	413K	25.6	2.0 years
Akoko-Edo	404K	20.1	1.5 years
Uhunmwonde	337K	24.8	1.9 years
Etsako West	328K	19.5	1.4 years
Oredo	289K	26.6	2.1 years
Orhionmwon	282K	24.6	1.9 years
Ovia South-West	267K	25.4	2.0 years
Esan South-East	261K	21.0	1.6 years
Etsako East	239K	20.6	1.5 years
Owan East	235K	19.9	1.5 years
Ovia North-East	215K	24.6	1.9 years
Esan North-East	198K	23.3	1.8 years
Esan West	180K	23.8	1.8 years
Owan West	160K	21.7	1.6 years
Etsako Central	144K	20.9	1.6 years
Esan Central	126K	23.1	1.8 years
Igueben	94K	22.7	1.7 years

Showing 18 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Edo is Injurious to Health.