Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Nigeria
Nigeria: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 65.74 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
65.74 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
down 6.9%
World rank
4th
of 200 countries
All-time high
75.13 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2015
All-time low
51.47 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2003
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Nigeria, 1990–2023
Source: Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in micrograms per cubic meter.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 65.74 micrograms per cubic meter for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in 2023.
That represents a change of down 6.9% on the previous year and up 25.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Nigeria peaked at 75.13 micrograms per cubic meter in 2015 and was at its lowest, 51.47 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2003.
Nigeria ranks 4th of 200 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 64.73 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 63.69 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.6% |
| 1992 | 64.06 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 64.43 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 64.8 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 62.35 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.8% |
| 1996 | 65.54 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.1% |
| 1997 | 65.91 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 66.28 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 66.65 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 68.42 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 58.12 micrograms per cubic meter | -15.1% |
| 2002 | 61.71 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.2% |
| 2003 | 51.47 micrograms per cubic meter | -16.6% |
| 2004 | 61.79 micrograms per cubic meter | +20.0% |
| 2005 | 57.18 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.5% |
| 2006 | 63.27 micrograms per cubic meter | +10.7% |
| 2007 | 67.31 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.4% |
| 2008 | 66.8 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 59.96 micrograms per cubic meter | -10.2% |
| 2010 | 57.05 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.9% |
| 2011 | 60.6 micrograms per cubic meter | +6.2% |
| 2012 | 59.62 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 52.24 micrograms per cubic meter | -12.4% |
| 2014 | 54.13 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 75.13 micrograms per cubic meter | +38.8% |
| 2016 | 69.37 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.7% |
| 2017 | 68.22 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 60.07 micrograms per cubic meter | -12.0% |
| 2019 | 56.17 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.5% |
| 2020 | 63.7 micrograms per cubic meter | +13.4% |
| 2021 | 63.75 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 70.62 micrograms per cubic meter | +10.8% |
| 2023 | 65.74 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.9% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 65.74 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 25.98 micrograms per cubic meter, 2.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 65.74 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 27.49 micrograms per cubic meter, 2.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 64.85 micrograms per cubic meter | 62.35 micrograms per cubic meter | 66.65 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 61.6 micrograms per cubic meter | 51.47 micrograms per cubic meter | 68.42 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.26 micrograms per cubic meter | 52.24 micrograms per cubic meter | 75.13 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.95 micrograms per cubic meter | 63.7 micrograms per cubic meter | 70.62 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 1 Qatar 107.76 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 2 Saudi Arabia 73.52 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 3 Bangladesh 69.25 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 5 Niger 65.23 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 6 Kuwait 62.35 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 7 Pakistan 58.37 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Nigeria
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -5.73 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -5.07 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.281 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.15 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.78 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 0.4617 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Nigeria?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in Nigeria was 65.74 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023, according to Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 75.13 micrograms per cubic meter in 2015.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 51.47 micrograms per cubic meter in 2003.
- How does Nigeria rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- Nigeria ranks 4th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The average level of exposure of the population to suspended particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter, which are capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory tract and damaging health. This is measured in micrograms per cubic meter.