We are in the harmattan season when visibility and air quality tend to drop. This often accompanied by bouts of catarrh and cough for many people in Nigeria. What many people may not know is the degree to which the air they breathe is polluted or hazardous.

We did some research and discovered that air quality is measure globally through a standard called Air Quality Index (AQI).

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, AQI can be defined: …”as a yardstick that runs from 0 to 500. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern. For example, an AQI value of 50 represents good air quality with little potential to affect public health, while an AQI value over 300 represents hazardous air quality.

“An AQI value of 100 generally corresponds to the national air quality standard for the pollutant, which is the level EPA has set to protect public health. AQI values below 100 are generally thought of as satisfactory. When AQI values are above 100, air quality is considered to be unhealthy-at first for certain sensitive groups of people, then for everyone as AQI values get higher.”

This chart explains it more:



Each category corresponds to a different level of health concern. The six levels of health concern and what they mean are:
• “Good” AQI is 0 to 50. Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.

• “Moderate” AQI is 51 to 100. Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people. For example, people who are unusually sensitive to ozone may experience respiratory symptoms.

• “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” AQI is 101 to 150. Although general public is not likely to be affected at this AQI range, people with lung disease, older adults and children are at a greater risk from exposure to ozone, whereas persons with heart and lung disease, older adults and children are at greater risk from the presence of particles in the air.

• “Unhealthy” AQI is 151 to 200. Everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects, and members of the sensitive groups may experience more serious effects.

• “Very Unhealthy” AQI is 201 to 300. This would trigger a health alert signifying that everyone may experience more serious health effects.

• “Hazardous” AQI greater than 300. This would trigger a health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.

Now, having understood the different categories of AQI, we decided to check the AQI for Lagos today via AirVisual which provides daily AQI measurements and this is what we found.



For today, Lagos falls in the purple region of AQI with a score of 210 making the air residents of the city breathing today to be very unhealthy.
The government needs to do more to provide a cleaner and healthier envirionment. Yes, the harmattan has contributed to low air quality today but it can be better with better regulation and less pollution.

Source: Discovered: How Lagos Air Quality is ‘Very Unhealthy’

nice info but, who ask u?

Holumhidey:
nice info
but,
who ask u?

If you ask me, na who I go ask?

This is a germane issue that affects residents and visitors to Lagos. The air quality at the moment is very poor.

Opinionated:


If you ask me, na who I go ask?

This is a germane issue that affects residents and visitors to Lagos. The air quality at the moment is very poor.

i wish i could be like u

lol......... na only God dey help people biko

If Lagos air is very Misty and polluted, how come that pic is so clear?
Anyways,that's what overpopulation causes. Take China as an example

ZombieTAMER:
Lagos will decrease your lifespan


Don't come to Lagos

If Lagos will reduce our lifespan then everybody in India and China should be dead. We don't appreciate our own

1st pic India
2nd pic China

Eko oni baje oo.

Lord help us in this our Lagos o

Am not surprised, my first time in Lagos, stuck in traffic....I almost went mad coz the odour and the air wasn't healthy at all, once you enter Lagos from the high way, you will notice the change in air quality

Lagos will decrease your lifespan


Don't come to Lagos

It is true. I always find it hard to breathe in Lagos. The air in the north is 2nd to none. Here in Jos, there's hardly anyone home with air-conditioning.

The Air in "Lagos"

All of the almost 1000km square kilometers of it?

A study showing the index for various sections of Lagos would be lovely.

Your report didn't say how the data was gathered and processed though

Port Harcourt own go shock you

chloride6:
The Air in "Lagos"

All of the almost 1000km square kilometers of it?

A study showing the index for various sections of Lagos would be lovely.

Your report didn't say how the data was gathered and processed though

Don't mind all these half baked researchers

There is a very simple solution: call anybody who catches cancer a witch or claim it was sent from the village.
That’s all, the healthy will survive and the weak will die off. Not everyone was meant to see age 40 to begin with.

Going To and Fro daily from Mile 2 to trade fair complex, I usually have to use a padded nose mask. Taking my bath every night would just seem as if I played in mud and yet people live in those areas. Lagos na wa

Lagos pollution capital of Africa,.... standing along ikorodu road for just 5mins then wipe your face with White handkerchief then you'll understand the severity of pollution in Lagos.

Virtually all the street light lamps have turned charcoal black because of excessive carbon emissions from rickety vehicles from trailers, to danfo, even the new blue buses and ofcourse not forgetting the notorious red buses and refuse trucks.

Lagos is nearing breaking point ammonia pollution from careless urinating and passing of excreta in open spaces is another huge challenge.i don't even want to mention solid waste which is now on the faces of every lagosian.

And population of Lagos is expanding at an alarming rate alongside crimes and associated vices, beggers and deformed people of all extractions inundates the length and breadth of the city constituting nuisance.

Lagos state needs help beyond her borders and until development becomes evenly spread across the country the condition of the state will only degenerate.

You mean the smelly fumes, I won't call that air..

May God help we in Lagos...Everywhere is damn polluted

Unless u have money to live on the island or GRA , don't come to lagos, its not worth it

Why won't it be unhealthy? We've asked them flatheadpiggies to leave lagos they refused. One day one day biafra will be actualized.

if lagos people dey complain wetin PH people go come do

no dey talk for every matta

Holumhidey:
nice info but, who ask u?

A curious mind is the start of many positive policies and technological breakthroughs.
A serious government (and people) will read this information, take it seriously, and use it productively. Far more people get sick this time of year due to respiratory issues, and the long term effects is that people die prematurely after years of breathing in this polluted air.

In case anyone asks: here are some ideas, albeit not completely thought out:
- invest in renewable-energy buses. Right not it's not cost effective, but with government grants/loans/assistance...
- hospitals should be prepared to deal with increase in respiratory illnesses
- somebody could make or sell cloth masks that reduce particulate intake (especially when sleeping, or for kids and infants)
- government could consider industrialization and beautification policies that reduce the number of pollutants

The point of having a country is so that different people pool their talents (scientific, political, medical, etc) to make life more enjoyable for everyone. We should be proactive, instead of just letting nature do what it wants with us.

One of the many issues facing Lagos

Get off a plane and a thick heavy atmosphere greets your nose

Wear a white shirt for a few hours and see the thick brown dirt that accumulates at the collar and cuffs. All these goes into all your orifices and causes serious health problems.

In case you don't know, it's not like that in most parts of the country.

I feel sorry for those who say they can't leave Lagos because of the money or adrenaline rush. It's a time bomb against anyone's long term health.

Holumhidey:
nice info
but,
who ask u?

Well, it's important to know this

I was born in Lagos and at a tender age I was diagnosed with asthma. I always get an asthmatic attack during the period of (April - August) and (December - January). I lived with the sickness from my tender age till when I got admitted into the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO).

I never got an attack in school (Owerri), but whenever I visited Lagos for semester holiday I will definitely go down with an attack in Lagos before the resumption of the next semester.

I knew Lagos was very unhealthy for me but I love the state. I still manage to come back after every semester.

After university education, I did my NYSC in Lagos and the attack was becoming more prominent, and at this point of my life I was more responsible for myself. I can't imagine what my parents went through taking care of me and my condition.

Bottom-line, I made a decision to leave Lagos for Owerri and after 8 years here, I've never experienced an attack.

The few times I have visited Lagos; right from Ojota, my breath changes. Lagos is very much unhealthy

Judybash93:

Well, it's important to know this

was just joking we cool right?