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 Osun Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Osun

Osun faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 5.6 million across 30 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 21.5µg/m³. That's 4.3 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 357 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 Osun met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.61 years longer.

That's 9.1M years of life stolen from 5.6 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 Osun. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Ilesha East
1.8 years lost
2.Boluwaduro
1.8 years lost
3.Ifedayo
1.8 years lost
4.Ilesha West
1.8 years lost
5.Ila
1.8 years lost
6.Boripe
1.8 years lost
7.Ifelodun
1.8 years lost
8.Obokun
1.7 years lost
9.Olorunda
1.7 years lost
10.Atakumosa East
1.7 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%

5.6M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 30 Districts in Osun

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Ife North	688K	20.7	1.5 years
Atakumosa East	396K	22.5	1.7 years
Iwo	369K	19.1	1.4 years
Irewole	357K	19.7	1.4 years
Oriade	273K	22.2	1.7 years
Ifelodun	256K	23.0	1.8 years
Olorunda	256K	22.6	1.7 years
Aiyedade	239K	19.6	1.4 years
Egbedore	230K	21.4	1.6 years
Orolu	227K	22.1	1.7 years
Obokun	226K	22.6	1.7 years
Ejigbo	202K	20.9	1.6 years
Odo-Otin	195K	22.2	1.7 years
Ilesha West	171K	23.4	1.8 years
Ila	163K	23.4	1.8 years
Ife South	162K	21.2	1.6 years
Osogbo	149K	22.4	1.7 years
Atakumosa West	134K	21.9	1.7 years
Irepodun	128K	21.5	1.6 years
Ola Oluwa	128K	19.9	1.5 years
Boripe	115K	23.2	1.8 years
Ilesha East	102K	23.6	1.8 years
Ede North	94K	21.3	1.6 years
Ede South	82K	20.4	1.5 years
Boluwaduro	82K	23.6	1.8 years
Ife Central	78K	21.0	1.6 years
Ifedayo	45K	23.5	1.8 years
Isokan	33K	19.5	1.4 years
Ayedire	33K	18.9	1.4 years
Ife East	28K	20.8	1.6 years

Showing 30 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Osun is Injurious to Health.