A commercial bus emitting harmful smoke into the air at third mainland bridge, Lagos State, Nigeria. PHOTO/ Collins O. Ojiehanor.
By COLLINS O. OJIEHANOR
In Lagos, Nigeria
For Lagos residents, a thick haze often envelops the city, presenting more than just a daily inconvenience—it’s a significant health crisis.
For the city’s 20 million residents, this invisible menace comes from several sources—old cars, industrial emissions, burning trash, and traditional cooking methods—creating a perfect storm of air pollution that threatens their well-being every day.
The situation in Lagos, Nigeria is not unique. Across Africa, air pollution has become a silent killer. In 2019, it was responsible for around 6.7 million deaths globally, with nearly 85% attributed to non-communicable diseases like heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer.
This stark reality has prompted a growing movement toward grassroots engagement and policy reform to tackle the issue head-on.
Lagos, with its notorious traffic jams and industrial activities, faces a severe air quality challenge. The World Bank identifies the city’s main sources of particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution as road transport, industrial emissions, and generators.
The number of vehicles in Lagos has surged nearly fourfold in the past decade, exacerbating the problem. Outdated vehicles spew harmful pollutants, while industrial facilities often operate with minimal environmental oversight.
One vivid example is the open burning of waste, a common practice due to inadequate waste management infrastructure. Residents often resort to burning trash, releasing toxic fumes into the air. Traditional cooking methods, relying on biomass fuels like wood and charcoal, also contribute to indoor air pollution, affecting many households.
The State of Global Air 2024 reports shows that Air pollution accounted for 8.1 million deaths globally in 2021, becoming the second leading risk factor for death, including for children under five years.
Of the total deaths, noncommunicable diseases including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) account for nearly 90% of the disease burden from air pollution.
Globally, more than 99% of the population live in areas where the air pollution is above WHO air quality guidelines and 4.2 million deaths are attributed to ambient air pollution each year. Around 2.4 billion people cook and heat their homes with polluting fuels and every year 3.2 million people die prematurely from household air pollution.
More than 700,000 deaths in children under 5 years were linked to air pollution; this represents 15% of all global deaths in children under five. In some countries in Africa and South Asia, nearly 1 in every 3 lower respiratory infection deaths in children under 5 is linked to air pollution.
The Intricate Air Pollution Landscape in Lagos
Infographic showing State of Global Air 2024. SOURCE/Health Effects Institute.
A World Bank study identified top three sources of particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution in Lagos as road transport, industrial emissions, and generators, all of which could be mitigated with effective interventions.
Road transport is the leading source of PM2.5. Due to limited transportation options, the number of vehicles has nearly quadrupled over the past decade.
The average commute in Lagos takes four hours a day, the highest in the world. Every day, 227 vehicles congest each kilometer of road, with most vehicles being over 15 years old and using outdated emission technologies and fuel with sulfur levels 200 times higher than U.S. standards for diesel according to the study.
Vehicular emissions stand as one of the most significant sources of air pollution in Lagos. The city’s traffic congestion is notorious, with countless cars, buses, and motorcycles releasing a cocktail of pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter (PM) into the atmosphere.
The aged and poorly maintained fleet of vehicles exacerbates the situation, as they tend to emit higher levels of harmful substances compared to newer models with better emission control technologies.
Industrial activities also contribute significantly to the air pollution problem in Lagos. The city hosts numerous factories and manufacturing plants, many of which operate with minimal environmental oversight.
These industrial facilities emit a range of pollutants, including sulfur dioxide (SO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and heavy metals, which deteriorate air quality and pose severe health risks to nearby communities.
Another pressing issue is the open burning of waste, a common practice in Lagos due to inadequate waste management infrastructure.
Residents often resort to burning trash in open spaces, releasing toxic fumes and particulate matter into the air. This practice not only contributes to air pollution but also exacerbates respiratory problems among the population.
Domestic cooking practices further add to the air pollution burden. Many households in Lagos still rely on traditional biomass fuels such as wood, charcoal, and kerosene for cooking.
The use of these fuels generates significant amounts of indoor air pollutants, including fine particulate matter and carbon monoxide, which can cause respiratory illnesses, especially in poorly ventilated homes.
Nigeria’s vibrant economy, large population, and unreliable power sector have led to a heavy reliance on backup generators. In Lagos, generators provide about half of the city’s total energy demand, making them the third-largest source of PM2.5.
Large diesel generators are used in institutional, commercial, and residential areas, while smaller generators are widespread across households and small businesses.
The poor combustion of gasoline and lubricating oil in these generators significantly pollutes the air and poses major health risks due to their close proximity to people.
Air Pollution Cuts Deep Regardless of Socioeconomic Status
Team advocating for clean air and creating awareness about air pollution in Lagos State, Nigeria. PHOTO/ Collins O. Ojiehanor.
Air pollution in Africa is a pervasive and pressing issue, affecting every individual regardless of their socioeconomic status. Bimbo Oshobe, the president of the Slum and Informal Settlement Federation, Lagos, emphasized this on the nature and extent of air pollution in the Lagos.
Oshobe highlighted that air pollution is not a challenge faced by a single person but a collective problem that impacts everyone.
“Every day, our activities bring us face-to-face with the reality of unclean air,” Oshobe explained.
He added that the poor and the physically challenged suffer most from air pollution as some are exposed to smoke from a neighbour using firewood for cooking or from small generators commonly used by the poor.
“These stories come from various areas, yet many people remain unconcerned because they feel it hasn’t affected them personally. But every time you step outside, whether at a bus-stop or near a street vendor, you’re breathing in this unclean air,” he said.
Engaging the public and stakeholders in air quality management is crucial for addressing the persistent problem of air pollution in Lagos.
Dr. Bolajoko Malomo, a social researcher and lecturer at the Department of Psychology, University of Lagos, emphasized the significance of such engagements, noting that Nigeria’s fast-growing population exacerbates the need to understand and protect the quality of air—a shared resource essential for life.
“Air pollution is inherently a social problem,” Dr. Malomo stated, “because it affects everyone who breathes the air.” She highlighted that, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) study, approximately 4.2 million people die prematurely each year from diseases caused by ambient air pollution.
These diseases include heart disease, cancer, and respiratory illnesses, which collectively underscore the severe public health impact of poor air quality.
Dr. Malomo advocated for leveraging education and community engagement as pivotal strategies in combating air pollution.
Public and Stakeholders Engagement in Air Quality Management
Map showing air pollution related deaths between Nigeria and Europe. Data Source: State of global air 2024. MAP/
“There is a need to educate people on pro-environmental protection programs,” she said. “By raising awareness about the sources and effects of air pollution, communities can adopt more sustainable practices and support initiatives aimed at improving air quality.”
Dare Olasunbo Bola, an air quality expert at the Air Quality Department, Emission Control Unit (AQECu) of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), highlighted the significant strides made in air quality management in Africa and beyond.
However, she emphasized the need for more inclusive collaboration that extends to the grassroots level to achieve lasting improvements in air quality.
“There has been great work and collaboration concerning air quality in Africa and abroad. My suggestion is that as there is collaboration between stakeholders and partners, there should also be collaboration with people from the lowest level,” Bola said.
She proposed involving local leaders such as public transportation chairmen, market women heads, and community chiefs. “This way, the information can be passed down to the lowest level of the air pollution source” she added.
Collaboration at All Levels Key to Improving Air Quality
A food vendor cooking with firewood exposing customers and passerby to air pollution Balogun Ilewe street, in Lagos. PHOTO/ Collins O. Ojiehanor
“The goal is to raise awareness about the effects of smoke and emissions from vehicles, outdoor activities like cooking with firewood, sawdust, and burning waste, which all negatively impact air quality and health” Bola said.
Bola stressed the importance of leveraging social media, content creators, influencers, radio and TV stations to educate the public about air quality.
“Maybe there should be a weekly program on a well-known radio and TV station to educate the public about air quality. I suggest that there should be a very explanatory and pictorial or diagram posters placed in strategic areas in communities that explain air quality to the people,” she added.
Earlier, at the Lagos Clean Air Forum 2024, Prof. Akin Abayomi, Commissioner for Health Lagos State, emphasized that poor air quality and a dense population have strained the health resources in Lagos.
Prof. Abayomi noted that the city is implementing the Lagos State Development Plan 2052 which aims to improve air quality and health infrastructure through clean air initiatives and technological advancements.
Engineer, Osa Konyeha, Technical Adviser, Corporate and Investment Planning at the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), highlighted initiatives to optimize public transportation systems and reduce vehicular emissions.
“We at the moment are carrying out a project called the Bus Industry Transition Project (BITP). The project seeks to look at ways in which we can encourage the informal sector players to join in the formal sector, to become the related players in the transportation space,” Konyeha said.
Government Initiatives and Air Quality Management in Lagos
Colour codes – Green means good; yellow means moderate; orange means unhealthy for sensitive groups; red means unhealthy; purple means very unhealthy and maroon means hazardous. Data Source: AirQo/UrbanBetter.
Konyeha shared further that “we can only carry on with our stakeholder engagement with them and with the aid of our BITP project, we continue to encourage them to work with us in order to provide the best service that we can for the citizens of Lagos state. So it’s a continuous process and we are getting a lot of support at the moment with working with the unions.”
The General Manager of Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Dr. Tunde Ajayi, speaking on initiatives towards tackling the problem of air pollution in Lagos highlighted that the state is making significant strides in improving indoor air quality in Lagos.
“For example, in Bariga, we are building a team for the women to tackle pollution because of their fish smoking trade. In several other areas like in Ikorodu, we are insisting that organizations and industries install pollution abatement plants” he said.
Dr Ajayi said among the initiatives being employed included; switching to clean energy for cooking and providing free gas through recycling initiatives, enforcing smoking laws indoors to reduce air pollution and protect public health.
“In other areas in Lagos, we ensure that people reduce the amount of pollution they emit into the system. We also stop open burning in many communities, we ensure that their waste is properly disposed in a more controlled way and we hand solid waste to Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and ensure that they are properly disposed,” he added.
Enhancing Air Quality and Public Health through Comprehensive Strategies
In an interview, experts highlighted several key directions for future initiatives. Hilina Bayew, an air quality policy research fellow from Ethiopia, highlighted the need to consider health outcomes when promoting outdoor activities.
Bayew pointed out that encouraging physical exercise in highly polluted areas like Lagos could exacerbate health conditions. Instead, these practices should be adopted in less polluted regions to ensure positive health outcomes.
She also stressed the importance of personalizing data to make it more accessible and impactful. Tools like air beams, which track individual exposure to air quality, can help personalize and communicate data effectively, making it more relatable to the general public. Accurate and comprehensive monitoring of air quality is essential for informed decision-making.
Governments and organizations should invest in advanced monitoring technologies and expand their networks to cover more areas. Data collected should be transparent and accessible to the public.
Effective policies and regulations are crucial for controlling air pollution. Governments should enforce stricter emission standards for vehicles and industrial sources.
Experts agree that addressing air pollution requires a multifaceted approach. Hilina Bayew, an air quality policy research fellow from Ethiopia, stresses the importance of considering health outcomes when promoting outdoor activities in polluted areas. She also advocates for personalized air quality data to make information more relatable to the public.
Abid Omar, founder of the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative, calls for targeted measures to reduce traffic emissions and protect public health. He suggests developing infrastructure for cleaner transportation and prioritizing green spaces in urban planning.
As cities like Lagos grapple with the challenges of air pollution, the path forward lies in comprehensive, inclusive strategies. By combining grassroots efforts, innovative policies, and community engagement, African cities can aspire to a future where clean air and improved public health are not just goals but realities.
