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 Enugu Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Enugu

Enugu faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 5.1 million across 17 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 15.3µg/m³. That's 3.1 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 254 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 Enugu met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.01 years longer.

That's 5.1M years of life stolen from 5.1 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 Enugu. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Oji-River
1.3 years lost
2.Uzo-Uwani
1.3 years lost
3.Udi
1.2 years lost
4.Aninri
1.2 years lost
5.Ezeagu
1.2 years lost
6.Igbo-Etiti
1.2 years lost
7.Nsukka
1.2 years lost
8.Igbo-eze North
1.1 years lost
9.Udenu
1.1 years lost
10.Nkanu East
1 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

31.3%

1.6M

15-25 µg/m³

68.7%

3.5M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 17 Districts in Enugu

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Enugu North	615K	11.9	0.7 years
Nsukka	446K	17.2	1.2 years
Udi	413K	17.5	1.2 years
Igbo-eze North	411K	16.4	1.1 years
Awgu	339K	15.5	1.0 years
Igbo-Etiti	320K	17.4	1.2 years
Enugu East	292K	11.2	0.6 years
Udenu	276K	16.0	1.1 years
Nkanu East	266K	15.6	1.0 years
Ezeagu	255K	17.4	1.2 years
Nkanu West	232K	11.9	0.7 years
Enugu South	230K	11.7	0.7 years
Isi-Uzo	220K	13.8	0.9 years
Igbo-eze South	216K	15.5	1.0 years
Oji-River	208K	18.1	1.3 years
Uzo-Uwani	190K	18.0	1.3 years
Aninri	149K	17.5	1.2 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 Enugu is Injurious to Health.