Air Pollution Crisis in Nigeria: How to Protect yourself
  • By Nkechi Chukwunedu
  • / March 14, 2023
  • / Healthcare

Nigerians are severely affected by bad air quality and below are statistics from Global Air Report and World Health Organisation that shows the air pollution crisis in Nigeria. 

YearStatistics
2016Statistics showed that 100 fatalities occur per 100,000 people as a result of air pollution.
2019Nigeria had the highest air pollution death and was ranked fourth for air pollution across the globe.

Nigeria’s air quality is amongst the most deadly worldwide

Over four million premature deaths were caused by illness attributable to indoor air pollution globally.
2021Lagos experienced nearly 7 million premature deaths caused by indoor and outdoor pollution.

Casualties as a result of air pollution in Nigeria have increased to nearly 40% in the last 30 years.

Overall, the Nigerian cities contain the most unhealthy air quality with up to 10 urban cities on the list of 40 cities in Africa with the worst air quality.

What Causes Air Pollution In Nigeria? 

  1. Carbon monoxide: Atmospheric threats, such as bush burning and burning of waste, automobile emission and generator fumes. Fumes produce the deadly gas called carbon monoxide. Nigeria creates over 3 million tons of waste and most times, these wastes are burnt in the neighbourhood where humans reside, instead of discarding it in a landfill site contributing more air pollution to the atmosphere. Some Nigerians still make use of coal, stoves and firewood to cook.
  2. Agricultural Industries: Agricultural air pollution comes mainly in the form of ammonia, which enters the air as a gas from heavily fertilised fields and livestock waste. Emissions from fertilisers and livestock were responsible for a substantial average amount of anthropogenic gases found in the air. Agriculture air pollution in Nigeria also contributes to climate change in the form of greenhouse gas emission and aerosis.
  3. Particulate Matter In Indoor Air: Particulate matter can come from cars, trucks, burning of woods, factories and unpaved roads. This often escapes into our indoor air. The amount of fine particulate matter levels in many Nigerian households surpasses air quality guidelines by 20 times. In 2021, Lagos, Nigeria experienced nearly seven million premature deaths caused by indoor and outdoor air pollution. This data was released by WHO.

What Are The Effects Of Air Pollution In Nigeria 

Air pollution is regarded as the fourth-largest risk factor for premature death. It causes diseases like stroke, lung cancer, lung disease, heart disease, asthma and others. 

In 2021, according to the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI), on average, people living around Niger Delta Region are likely to lose “nearly 6 years of life expectancy” if the air pollution in the area is not controlled. 

 

Air Pollution In Nigeria…How To Protect  Yourself

As individuals, we can protect ourselves and loved ones from air pollution and here is how: 

An average human spends most of his/her time indoors, so one of the major ways to protect yourself is to keep your indoor air clean. The fact remains that indoor air quality can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air.

 

How Do You Improve Your Indoor Air Quality? 

Indoor air pollutants can range from contaminants brought in from the outdoors, carbon monoxide which can come from natural gas that escapes into your indoor space without being burned off, lead particles and other pollutants that can damage the lungs when released to the air. 

Checking your air ducts, using cooking vents, changing your AC filter and keeping rugs and carpets clean are ways to improve your indoor air quality but they cannot remove pollutants and harmful microorganisms from the air. Therefore an air purifier is the only very effective tool for good indoor air quality. 

An air purifier removes pollutants and harmful microorganisms that can pose a danger to health in the short term or long term by removing pollutants and harmful microorganisms from the air. It is beneficial to everyone, including those in sensitive groups like aged people and children, and those who have allergies and respiratory diseases. Getting the right air purifier for your indoor space is an underrated healthy living hack. Clean air equals a healthy life.

 

UNIMECH AIR PURIFIERS

Unimech Healthcare air purifiers are the best to improve your indoor  air quality. 

The Unimech air purifiers vary from Ac Retrofit, Air-o-clean, Air-o-clean plus and Emitron. There is also a device that is called the Unimech Air Quality Monitoring System, AQMS which helps you monitor your indoor air quality. It allows the measurement, and predictive analysis of the evolution of air pollution in different areas. This helps you with strategies on the next step to take to improve your indoor air quality.

Unimech air purifiers can be used in your homes, offices, schools, gyms, restaurants, hotels, hospitals and every other indoor space. Rands limited is an authorised distributor of Unimech air purifier and we are intentional about improving your indoor air quality. 

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