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 Kogi Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Kogi

Kogi faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 5.1 million across 21 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 21.3µg/m³. That's 4.3 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 353 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 Kogi met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.6 years longer.

That's 8.2M 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 Kogi. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Kogi
2.2 years lost
2.Ibaji
2 years lost
3.Lokoja
2 years lost
4.Idah
2 years lost
5.Bassa
1.9 years lost
6.Ajaokuta
1.8 years lost
7.Yagba East
1.8 years lost
8.Omala
1.7 years lost
9.Yagba West
1.7 years lost
10.Igalamela-Odolu
1.6 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

85.4%

4.4M

25-35 µg/m³

14.6%

749K

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 21 Districts in Kogi

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Adavi	554K	21.4	1.6 years
Okehi	452K	19.5	1.4 years
Ankpa	437K	18.9	1.4 years
Dekina	390K	18.5	1.3 years
Lokoja	382K	25.4	2.0 years
Igalamela-Odolu	335K	21.8	1.6 years
Ofu	285K	17.7	1.2 years
Olamaboro	284K	17.3	1.2 years
Kabba/Bunu	282K	21.5	1.6 years
Bassa	239K	24.1	1.9 years
Yagba East	234K	22.9	1.8 years
Yagba West	233K	22.0	1.7 years
Kogi	183K	27.5	2.2 years
Ibaji	180K	25.5	2.0 years
Ajaokuta	172K	23.0	1.8 years
Omala	169K	22.3	1.7 years
Ijumu	139K	21.5	1.6 years
Mopa-Muro	95K	21.7	1.6 years
Ogori/Magongo	65K	20.4	1.5 years
Okene	20K	20.7	1.5 years
Idah	4K	25.1	2.0 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 Kogi is Injurious to Health.