By COLLINS O. OJIEHANOR
In Lagos, Nigeria
For Lagos residents, a thick haze usually envelops the town, presenting greater than only a every day inconvenience—it’s a major well being disaster.
For the town’s 20 million residents, this invisible menace comes from a number of sources—previous vehicles, industrial emissions, burning trash, and conventional cooking strategies—creating an ideal storm of air air pollution that threatens their well-being each day.
The state of affairs in Lagos, Nigeria just isn’t distinctive. Throughout Africa, air air pollution has develop into a silent killer. In 2019, it was answerable for round 6.7 million deaths globally, with practically 85% attributed to non-communicable ailments like coronary heart illness, stroke, and lung most cancers.
This stark actuality has prompted a rising motion towards grassroots engagement and coverage reform to sort out the problem head-on.
Lagos, with its infamous site visitors jams and industrial actions, faces a extreme air high quality problem. The World Financial institution identifies the town’s principal sources of particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution as highway transport, industrial emissions, and mills.
The variety of automobiles in Lagos has surged practically fourfold up to now decade, exacerbating the issue. Outdated automobiles spew dangerous pollution, whereas industrial services usually function with minimal environmental oversight.
One vivid instance is the open burning of waste, a standard follow as a result of insufficient waste administration infrastructure. Residents usually resort to burning trash, releasing poisonous fumes into the air. Conventional cooking strategies, counting on biomass fuels like wooden and charcoal, additionally contribute to indoor air air pollution, affecting many households.
The State of International Air 2024 experiences exhibits that Air air pollution accounted for 8.1 million deaths globally in 2021, turning into the second main danger issue for demise, together with for youngsters beneath 5 years.
Of the full deaths, noncommunicable ailments together with coronary heart illness, stroke, diabetes, lung most cancers, and power obstructive pulmonary illness (COPD) account for practically 90% of the illness burden from air air pollution.
Globally, greater than 99% of the inhabitants dwell in areas the place the air air pollution is above WHO air high quality tips and 4.2 million deaths are attributed to ambient air air pollution every year. Round 2.4 billion folks prepare dinner and warmth their properties with polluting fuels and yearly 3.2 million folks die prematurely from family air air pollution.
Greater than 700,000 deaths in youngsters beneath 5 years had been linked to air air pollution; this represents 15% of all world deaths in youngsters beneath 5. In some international locations in Africa and South Asia, practically 1 in each 3 decrease respiratory an infection deaths in youngsters beneath 5 is linked to air air pollution.
The Intricate Air Air pollution Panorama in Lagos
Infographic exhibiting State of International Air 2024. SOURCE/Well being Results Institute.
A World Financial institution research recognized prime three sources of particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution in Lagos as highway transport, industrial emissions, and mills, all of which might be mitigated with efficient interventions.
Street transport is the main supply of PM2.5. Attributable to restricted transportation choices, the variety of automobiles has practically quadrupled over the previous decade.
The common commute in Lagos takes 4 hours a day, the best on the planet. Day by day, 227 automobiles congest every kilometer of highway, with most automobiles being over 15 years previous and utilizing outdated emission applied sciences and gasoline with sulfur ranges 200 occasions larger than U.S. requirements for diesel based on the research.
Vehicular emissions stand as probably the most vital sources of air air pollution in Lagos. Town’s site visitors congestion is infamous, with numerous vehicles, buses, and bikes releasing a cocktail of pollution reminiscent of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter (PM) into the environment.
The aged and poorly maintained fleet of automobiles exacerbates the state of affairs, as they have a tendency to emit larger ranges of dangerous substances in comparison with newer fashions with higher emission management applied sciences.
Industrial actions additionally contribute considerably to the air air pollution downside in Lagos. Town hosts quite a few factories and manufacturing vegetation, lots of which function with minimal environmental oversight.
These industrial services emit a variety of pollution, together with sulfur dioxide (SO2), risky natural compounds (VOCs), and heavy metals, which deteriorate air high quality and pose extreme well being dangers to close by communities.
One other urgent difficulty is the open burning of waste, a standard follow in Lagos as a result of insufficient waste administration infrastructure.
Residents usually resort to burning trash in open areas, releasing poisonous fumes and particulate matter into the air. This follow not solely contributes to air air pollution but additionally exacerbates respiratory issues among the many inhabitants.
Home cooking practices additional add to the air air pollution burden. Many households in Lagos nonetheless depend on conventional biomass fuels reminiscent of wooden, charcoal, and kerosene for cooking.
Using these fuels generates vital quantities of indoor air pollution, together with superb particulate matter and carbon monoxide, which might trigger respiratory sicknesses, particularly in poorly ventilated properties.
Nigeria’s vibrant economic system, massive inhabitants, and unreliable energy sector have led to a heavy reliance on backup mills. In Lagos, mills present about half of the town’s complete vitality demand, making them the third-largest supply of PM2.5.
Massive diesel mills are utilized in institutional, business, and residential areas, whereas smaller mills are widespread throughout households and small companies.
The poor combustion of gasoline and lubricating oil in these mills considerably pollutes the air and poses main well being dangers as a result of their shut proximity to folks.
Air Air pollution Cuts Deep No matter Socioeconomic Standing
Group advocating for clear air and creating consciousness about air air pollution in Lagos State, Nigeria. PHOTO/ Collins O. Ojiehanor.
Air air pollution in Africa is a pervasive and urgent difficulty, affecting each particular person no matter their socioeconomic standing. Bimbo Oshobe, the president of the Slum and Casual Settlement Federation, Lagos, emphasised this on the character and extent of air air pollution within the Lagos.
Oshobe highlighted that air air pollution just isn’t a problem confronted by a single particular person however a collective downside that impacts everybody.
“Day by day, our actions carry us face-to-face with the fact of unclean air,” Oshobe defined.
He added that the poor and the bodily challenged undergo most from air air pollution as some are uncovered to smoke from a neighbour utilizing firewood for cooking or from small mills generally utilized by the poor.
“These tales come from varied areas, but many individuals stay unconcerned as a result of they really feel it hasn’t affected them personally. However each time you step outdoors, whether or not at a bus-stop or close to a avenue vendor, you’re respiratory on this unclean air,” he stated.
Partaking the general public and stakeholders in air high quality administration is essential for addressing the persistent downside of air air pollution in Lagos.
Dr. Bolajoko Malomo, a social researcher and lecturer on the Division of Psychology, College of Lagos, emphasised the importance of such engagements, noting that Nigeria’s fast-growing inhabitants exacerbates the necessity to perceive and shield the standard of air—a shared useful resource important for all times.
“Air air pollution is inherently a social downside,” Dr. Malomo acknowledged, “as a result of it impacts everybody who breathes the air.” She highlighted that, based on a World Well being Group (WHO) research, roughly 4.2 million folks die prematurely every year from ailments attributable to ambient air air pollution.
These ailments embrace coronary heart illness, most cancers, and respiratory sicknesses, which collectively underscore the extreme public well being impression of poor air high quality.
Dr. Malomo advocated for leveraging schooling and group engagement as pivotal methods in combating air air pollution.
Public and Stakeholders Engagement in Air High quality Administration
Map exhibiting air air pollution associated deaths between Nigeria and Europe. Knowledge Supply: State of worldwide air 2024. MAP/
“There’s a want to teach folks on pro-environmental safety applications,” she stated. “By elevating consciousness concerning the sources and results of air air pollution, communities can undertake extra sustainable practices and assist initiatives aimed toward enhancing air high quality.”
Dare Olasunbo Bola, an air high quality professional on the Air High quality Division, Emission Management Unit (AQECu) of the Lagos State Environmental Safety Company (LASEPA), highlighted the numerous strides made in air high quality administration in Africa and past.
Nonetheless, she emphasised the necessity for extra inclusive collaboration that extends to the grassroots stage to attain lasting enhancements in air high quality.
“There was nice work and collaboration regarding air high quality in Africa and overseas. My suggestion is that as there’s collaboration between stakeholders and companions, there also needs to be collaboration with folks from the bottom stage,” Bola stated.
She proposed involving native leaders reminiscent of public transportation chairmen, market ladies heads, and group chiefs. “This manner, the data may be handed right down to the bottom stage of the air air pollution supply” she added.
Collaboration at All Ranges Key to Bettering Air High quality
A meals vendor cooking with firewood exposing clients and passerby to air air pollution Balogun Ilewe avenue, in Lagos. PHOTO/ Collins O. Ojiehanor
“The purpose is to boost consciousness concerning the results of smoke and emissions from automobiles, outside actions like cooking with firewood, sawdust, and burning waste, which all negatively impression air high quality and well being” Bola stated.
Bola confused the significance of leveraging social media, content material creators, influencers, radio and TV stations to teach the general public about air high quality.
“Possibly there ought to be a weekly program on a widely known radio and TV station to teach the general public about air high quality. I recommend that there ought to be a really explanatory and pictorial or diagram posters positioned in strategic areas in communities that designate air high quality to the folks,” she added.
Earlier, on the Lagos Clear Air Discussion board 2024, Prof. Akin Abayomi, Commissioner for Well being Lagos State, emphasised that poor air high quality and a dense inhabitants have strained the well being assets in Lagos.
Prof. Abayomi famous that the town is implementing the Lagos State Growth Plan 2052 which goals to enhance air high quality and well being infrastructure by way of clear air initiatives and technological developments.
Engineer, Osa Konyeha, Technical Adviser, Company and Funding Planning on the Lagos Metropolitan Space Transport Authority (LAMATA), highlighted initiatives to optimize public transportation programs and scale back vehicular emissions.
“We in the meanwhile are finishing up a undertaking referred to as the Bus Trade Transition Venture (BITP). The undertaking seeks to take a look at methods by which we are able to encourage the casual sector gamers to affix within the formal sector, to develop into the associated gamers within the transportation house,” Konyeha stated.
Authorities Initiatives and Air High quality Administration in Lagos
Color codes – Inexperienced means good; yellow means reasonable; orange means unhealthy for delicate teams; purple means unhealthy; purple means very unhealthy and maroon means hazardous. Knowledge Supply: AirQo/UrbanBetter.
Konyeha shared additional that “we are able to solely keep on with our stakeholder engagement with them and with the help of our BITP undertaking, we proceed to encourage them to work with us in an effort to present the most effective service that we are able to for the residents of Lagos state. So it’s a steady course of and we’re getting a variety of assist in the meanwhile with working with the unions.”
The Normal Supervisor of Lagos State Environmental Safety Company (LASEPA), Dr. Tunde Ajayi, talking on initiatives in the direction of tackling the issue of air air pollution in Lagos highlighted that the state is making vital strides in enhancing indoor air high quality in Lagos.
“For instance, in Bariga, we’re constructing a crew for the ladies to sort out air pollution due to their fish smoking commerce. In a number of different areas like in Ikorodu, we’re insisting that organizations and industries set up air pollution abatement vegetation” he stated.
Dr Ajayi stated among the many initiatives being employed included; switching to scrub vitality for cooking and offering free gasoline by way of recycling initiatives, imposing smoking legal guidelines indoors to scale back air air pollution and shield public well being.
“In different areas in Lagos, we be sure that folks scale back the quantity of air pollution they emit into the system. We additionally cease open burning in lots of communities, we be sure that their waste is correctly disposed in a extra managed means and we hand strong waste to Lagos Waste Administration Authority (LAWMA) and be sure that they’re correctly disposed,” he added.
Enhancing Air High quality and Public Well being by way of Complete Methods
In an interview, specialists highlighted a number of key instructions for future initiatives. Hilina Bayew, an air high quality coverage analysis fellow from Ethiopia, highlighted the necessity to take into account well being outcomes when selling outside actions.
Bayew identified that encouraging bodily train in extremely polluted areas like Lagos may exacerbate well being circumstances. As an alternative, these practices ought to be adopted in much less polluted areas to make sure optimistic well being outcomes.
She additionally confused the significance of personalizing information to make it extra accessible and impactful. Instruments like air beams, which observe particular person publicity to air high quality, might help personalize and talk information successfully, making it extra relatable to most people. Correct and complete monitoring of air high quality is crucial for knowledgeable decision-making.
Governments and organizations ought to spend money on superior monitoring applied sciences and broaden their networks to cowl extra areas. Knowledge collected ought to be clear and accessible to the general public.
Efficient insurance policies and laws are essential for controlling air air pollution. Governments ought to implement stricter emission requirements for automobiles and industrial sources.
Consultants agree that addressing air air pollution requires a multifaceted strategy. Hilina Bayew, an air high quality coverage analysis fellow from Ethiopia, stresses the significance of contemplating well being outcomes when selling outside actions in polluted areas. She additionally advocates for personalised air high quality information to make info extra relatable to the general public.
Abid Omar, founding father of the Pakistan Air High quality Initiative, requires focused measures to scale back site visitors emissions and shield public well being. He suggests growing infrastructure for cleaner transportation and prioritizing inexperienced areas in city planning.
As cities like Lagos grapple with the challenges of air air pollution, the trail ahead lies in complete, inclusive methods. By combining grassroots efforts, modern insurance policies, and group engagement, African cities can aspire to a future the place clear air and improved public well being aren’t simply objectives however realities.
