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 Kaduna Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Kaduna

Kaduna faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 9.2 million across 23 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 27.1µg/m³. That's 5.4 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 450 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 Kaduna met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 2.16 years longer.

That's 20.0M years of life stolen from 9.2 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 Kaduna. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Kaura
2.7 years lost
2.Jaba
2.6 years lost
3.Zangon Kataf
2.5 years lost
4.Kagarko
2.4 years lost
5.Kachia
2.4 years lost
6.Jema'a
2.3 years lost
7.Sanga
2.3 years lost
8.Kaduna North
2.3 years lost
9.Kauru
2.3 years lost
10.Kaduna South
2.3 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

25.3%

2.3M

25-35 µg/m³

74.7%

6.9M

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 23 Districts in Kaduna

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Igabi	903K	27.2	2.2 years
Zangon Kataf	648K	31.0	2.5 years
Sabon Gari	614K	25.6	2.0 years
Kaduna South	540K	28.1	2.3 years
Chikun	501K	27.2	2.2 years
Kaduna North	493K	28.4	2.3 years
Lere	478K	26.9	2.1 years
Kagarko	451K	29.8	2.4 years
Soba	446K	24.7	1.9 years
Zaria	443K	25.7	2.0 years
Giwa	411K	24.0	1.9 years
Kubau	397K	24.1	1.9 years
Birnin Gwari	396K	23.7	1.8 years
Jema'a	376K	28.8	2.3 years
Kachia	364K	29.5	2.4 years
Ikara	321K	22.7	1.7 years
Kaura	248K	32.2	2.7 years
Jaba	245K	31.4	2.6 years
Sanga	235K	28.8	2.3 years
Kajuru	205K	27.4	2.2 years
Makarfi	201K	23.4	1.8 years
Kudan	169K	24.5	1.9 years
Kauru	163K	28.1	2.3 years

Showing 23 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Kaduna is Injurious to Health.