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 Taraba Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Taraba

Taraba faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 3.6 million across 16 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 31.8µg/m³. That's 6.4 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 528 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 Taraba met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 2.62 years longer.

That's 9.3M years of life stolen from 3.6 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 Taraba. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Sardauna
3.7 years lost
2.Donga
2.8 years lost
3.Bali
2.8 years lost
4.Ibi
2.8 years lost
5.Kurmi
2.8 years lost
6.Takum
2.8 years lost
7.Gassol
2.6 years lost
8.Wukari
2.6 years lost
9.Ussa
2.6 years lost
10.Jalingo
2.6 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

9.1%

324K

25-35 µg/m³

81.5%

2.9M

> 35 µg/m³

9.4%

333K

Districts

All 16 Districts in Taraba

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Gassol	385K	32.0	2.6 years
Karim Lamido	378K	28.2	2.3 years
Sardauna	333K	43.1	3.7 years
Bali	300K	33.6	2.8 years
Wukari	283K	31.8	2.6 years
Ardo-Kola	273K	31.0	2.5 years
Ussa	207K	31.8	2.6 years
Lau	193K	27.5	2.2 years
Donga	192K	33.9	2.8 years
Takum	176K	33.3	2.8 years
Zing	169K	21.9	1.7 years
Yorro	155K	23.1	1.8 years
Kurmi	148K	33.4	2.8 years
Ibi	141K	33.6	2.8 years
Gashaka	124K	31.3	2.6 years
Jalingo	93K	31.4	2.6 years

Showing 16 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Taraba is Injurious to Health.