Nigeria is one of the nations whose citizens lack access to clean air, according to a new report by IQAir, which found that only citizens of 10 per cent of countries in the world breathe air that is not hazardous to their health.

“Citizens in only 10 per cent of the global countries, regions and territories are breathing air that does not pose a risk to their health as indicated by the WHO,” the report stated.

According to the data, only five per cent of the countries in the world have achieved the Pm2.5 air pollution standard set by the World Health Organisation.

Nigeria was ranked 18th on the list of the world’s most polluted nations, with Abuja ranked as Africa’s fourth-most polluted regional city.

The report listed Abuja, Lagos and Benin among the list of 10 most polluted cities in Africa.

According to the research, only 13 of the 131 countries that were sampled were able to achieve PM2.5 concentrations that were at or below the WHO’s recommended yearly limit of 5 μg/m3.

“In 2022, 13 out of the 131 countries and regions included in this report have succeeded in achieving PM2.5 concentrations at or below the WHO guideline for annual PM2.5 concentrations of 5 μg/m3,” the report noted.

While acknowledging the significant progress made in the fight against air pollution, the study also made clear that much more must be done to promote environmental equality.

According to the report, only Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, and New Zealand met the annual average of 5 g/m3 or less. Chad, Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, and Bangladesh were also listed as the most polluted nations in 2022.