Breathing in Zamfara is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 4.8 million people across 14 districts in Zamfara. The average PM2.5 level is 17 µg/m³—3.4Ɨ higher than the WHO guideline.

Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Air Pollution in Zamfara

Zamfara faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 4.8 million across 14 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 17µg/m³. That's 3.4 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 282 cigarettes in a year.

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 µg/m³.

Life Expectancy Impact

If Zamfara met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.19 years longer.

That's 5.8M years of life stolen from 4.8 million people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 10 most polluted districts in Zamfara. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Maru
    1.5 years lost
  • 2.Tsafe
    1.4 years lost
  • 3.Gusau
    1.4 years lost
  • 4.Bungudu
    1.3 years lost
  • 5.Anka
    1.2 years lost
  • 6.Bukkuyum
    1.2 years lost
  • 7.Gummi
    1.2 years lost
  • 8.Talata-Mafara
    1.1 years lost
  • 9.Bakura
    1.1 years lost
  • 10.Birnin-Magaji/Kiyaw
    1 years lost

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
0%
0
5-10 µg/m³
0%
0
10-15 µg/m³
17.2%
834K
15-25 µg/m³
82.8%
4.0M
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0

All 14 Districts in Zamfara

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Gusau581K
18.9
1.4 years
Maru538K
19.9
1.5 years
Tsafe510K
19.4
1.4 years
Bakura399K
16.0
1.1 years
Gummi368K
16.8
1.2 years
Kaura Namoda361K
15.5
1.0 years
Bungudu340K
17.9
1.3 years
Zurmi327K
13.8
0.9 years
Bukkuyum291K
17.4
1.2 years
Shinkafi268K
13.9
0.9 years
Birnin-Magaji/Kiyaw266K
15.7
1.0 years
Maradun239K
13.9
0.9 years
Talata-Mafara231K
16.3
1.1 years
Anka126K
17.6
1.2 years

Showing 14 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.