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 Sokoto Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Sokoto

Sokoto faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 6.4 million across 23 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 12.3µg/m³. That's 2.5 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 204 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 Sokoto met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.71 years longer.

That's 4.5M years of life stolen from 6.4 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 Sokoto. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Kebbe
1.1 years lost
2.Tureta
1.1 years lost
3.Shagari
0.9 years lost
4.Rabah
0.9 years lost
5.Tambuwal
0.9 years lost
6.Isa
0.8 years lost
7.Dange-Shuni
0.8 years lost
8.Sabon Birni
0.7 years lost
9.Sokoto North
0.7 years lost
10.Sokoto South
0.7 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

4.6%

296K

10-15 µg/m³

90.7%

5.8M

15-25 µg/m³

4.7%

297K

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 23 Districts in Sokoto

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Wamako	704K	12.0	0.7 years
Illela	430K	10.1	0.5 years
Gwadabawa	427K	10.5	0.5 years
Tambuwal	409K	14.1	0.9 years
Sabon Birni	355K	12.6	0.7 years
Goronyo	302K	12.1	0.7 years
Gada	296K	9.4	0.4 years
Kware	295K	12.0	0.7 years
Rabah	291K	14.4	0.9 years
Yabo	279K	12.2	0.7 years
Sokoto North	273K	12.5	0.7 years
Bodinga	271K	12.4	0.7 years
Kebbe	246K	16.6	1.1 years
Dange-Shuni	242K	12.9	0.8 years
Isa	238K	13.5	0.8 years
Tangaza	225K	10.8	0.6 years
Gudu	224K	12.2	0.7 years
Binji	204K	11.8	0.7 years
Shagari	204K	14.5	0.9 years
Wurno	196K	11.9	0.7 years
Sokoto South	105K	12.5	0.7 years
Silame	100K	12.1	0.7 years
Tureta	51K	16.4	1.1 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 Sokoto is Injurious to Health.