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 Ogun Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Ogun

Ogun faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 6.6 million across 20 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 20.4µg/m³. That's 4.1 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 338 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 Ogun met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.51 years longer.

That's 10.0M years of life stolen from 6.6 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 Ogun. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Ogun Waterside
1.9 years lost
2.Shagamu
1.7 years lost
3.Odogbolu
1.7 years lost
4.Obafemi-Owode
1.7 years lost
5.Ijebu East
1.6 years lost
6.Ijebu North
1.6 years lost
7.Ijebu North-East
1.6 years lost
8.Abeokuta South
1.6 years lost
9.Ijebu-Ode
1.6 years lost
10.Ikenne
1.5 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

100%

6.6M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 20 Districts in Ogun

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Ado Odo/Ota	1.7M	19.5	1.4 years
Ifo	842K	20.6	1.5 years
Obafemi-Owode	430K	21.9	1.7 years
Abeokuta South	427K	21.2	1.6 years
Ijebu North	426K	21.2	1.6 years
Shagamu	370K	22.2	1.7 years
Yewa North	283K	19.1	1.4 years
Ijebu-Ode	263K	21.0	1.6 years
Yewa South	217K	18.9	1.4 years
Abeokuta North	209K	20.4	1.5 years
Ijebu East	206K	21.7	1.6 years
Ipokia	197K	18.0	1.3 years
Ikenne	171K	20.8	1.5 years
Odogbolu	163K	21.9	1.7 years
Ogun Waterside	156K	23.9	1.9 years
Odeda	138K	19.1	1.4 years
Ijebu North-East	98K	21.2	1.6 years
Remo-North	98K	19.5	1.4 years
Imeko-Afon	91K	15.8	1.1 years
Ewekoro	74K	20.5	1.5 years

Showing 20 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Ogun is Injurious to Health.