Is the air in Abuja safe today?

Not for sensitive groups. Right now the US AQI in Abuja is 118, which counts as unhealthy for sensitive groups. Kids, older adults and people with asthma or heart conditions should limit long outdoor exertion. It is expected to reach 185 (unhealthy) around Fri 23:00.

When is the best time to be outside in Abuja?

Sat 11:00–14:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 88. The worst hour is around Fri 23:00, at 185.

What is the main pollutant in Abuja?

Fine particles (PM2.5). It drives the index right now, at 42 µg/m³. Tiny particles from combustion, fires and dust that reach deep into the lungs. The main driver of AQI worldwide.

How does Abuja's air compare with the WHO guideline?

4.1 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 62 µg/m³, against the World Health Organization's 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³. PM10, NO2 and O3 are also forecast above their guideline levels.

How many cigarettes is a day of Abuja's air?

About 2.8 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 62 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.

Will air quality in Abuja improve this week?

Sunday looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 176, against 193 on Tuesday, the worst day in the forecast.

Abuja air quality

Nigeria · Live AQI and hourly forecast for the next 5 days · valid Fri 18:00 local time

118

Unhealthy for sensitive groups

US AQI, mostly PM_2.5

Model estimate. Nearby measurements are shown separately.

Kids, older adults and people with asthma or heart conditions should limit long outdoor exertion.

Next 24 hours: 87–185US AQI, highest around Fri 23:00
Best time outside: Sat 11:00–14:00US AQI about 88
PM_2.5 vs WHO guideline: 4.1×62 µg/m³ over 24 h, guideline 15
Cigarette equivalent: ≈ 2.8 a dayBerkeley Earth rule of thumb

Loading the live globe…

The live globe, centred on Abuja. Switch pollutants, drag through the next 5 days or press play. Full map →

Pollutants in Abuja right now

Pollutant	Now	Level	Next 24 h vs WHO
Fine particles PM_2.5	42 µg/m³	Sensitive	4.1×
Coarse particles PM₁₀	72 µg/m³	Moderate	2.0×
Nitrogen dioxide NO₂	36 µg/m³	Good	1.1×
Ozone O₃	71 µg/m³	Good	1.2×
Sulphur dioxide SO₂	2.7 µg/m³	Good	0.1×
Carbon monoxide CO	2,625 µg/m³	Good	0.3×
Aerosol optical depth	0.29	Whole atmosphere · dimensionless
Desert dust	62 µg/m³	Modelled surface dust
UV index	0	Low

“Next 24 h vs WHO” compares the forecast with the World Health Organization’s 2021 guideline levels: 24-hour means of 15 µg/m³ for PM_2.5, 45 for PM₁₀, 25 for NO₂, 40 for SO₂ and 4 mg/m³ for CO, and 100 µg/m³ over 8 hours for ozone. Above 1× is above the guideline. Levels follow the US AQI, which is far less strict than the WHO, so air rated Good can still be above a guideline.

Next 48 hours

Hourly US AQI. Highest 185 around Fri 23:00, lowest 87 around Sat 12:00.

50100150200

Good 0–50Moderate 51–100Sensitive 101–150Unhealthy 151–200Very unhealthy 201–300Hazardous 301+

5-day air quality forecast for Abuja

Daily range of the hourly US AQI, from lowest to highest, on a scale of 0 to 200.

Day	US AQI	At worst	Worst hour	PM_2.5 avg	UV max
Fri 13 Nov	82–185	Unhealthy	23:00	61	9 Very high
Sat 14 Nov	87–184	Unhealthy	0:00	59	9 Very high
Sun 15 Nov	87–176	Unhealthy	0:00	55	10 Very high
Mon 16 Nov	107–190	Unhealthy	23:00	65	9 Very high
Tue 17 Nov	120–193	Unhealthy	22:00	76	9 Very high

Common questions about the air in Abuja

Is the air in Abuja safe today?
Not for sensitive groups. Right now the US AQI in Abuja is 118, which counts as unhealthy for sensitive groups. Kids, older adults and people with asthma or heart conditions should limit long outdoor exertion. It is expected to reach 185 (unhealthy) around Fri 23:00.
When is the best time to be outside in Abuja?
Sat 11:00–14:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 88. The worst hour is around Fri 23:00, at 185.
What is the main pollutant in Abuja?
Fine particles (PM_2.5). It drives the index right now, at 42 µg/m³. Tiny particles from combustion, fires and dust that reach deep into the lungs. The main driver of AQI worldwide.
How does Abuja's air compare with the WHO guideline?
4.1 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 62 µg/m³, against the World Health Organization's 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³. PM₁₀, NO₂ and O₃ are also forecast above their guideline levels.
How many cigarettes is a day of Abuja's air?
About 2.8 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 62 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.
Will air quality in Abuja improve this week?
Sunday looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 176, against 193 on Tuesday, the worst day in the forecast.

Measured near Abuja

Station and measurements	Distance	US AQI	Level
Unnamed sensor OpenAQ, low-cost sensor PM_2.5: 27 µg/m³ · Fri 18:00	0.0 km	84	Moderate
Unnamed sensor OpenAQ, low-cost sensor PM_2.5: 36 µg/m³ · Fri 18:00	4.9 km	102	Sensitive

Air quality near Abuja

US AQI right now. Cleanest nearby: Accra (29); worst: Kampala (83). The tick on each bar is Abuja, at 118.

Lagos 526 km SW 57 Moderate
Accra 921 km SW 29 Good
Kinshasa 1,738 km SE 44 Good
Dakar 2,775 km W 56 Moderate
Khartoum 2,823 km E 59 Moderate
Kampala 2,952 km E 83 Moderate

All 162 cities →

About this forecast

Forecast from CAMS global via Open-Meteo: the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) model at about 40 km resolution (about 10 km inside Europe). Global runs update every 12 hours and European runs every 24 hours. Models smooth out street-level peaks, so busy roads and industrial sites can be worse than shown. Nearby station measurements are independent observations, not adjustments to the forecast. The point forecast uses Open-Meteo’s CAMS products, including a separate carbon monoxide product; it can differ from the globe’s global grid. The AQI rates each hour on the US EPA scale, the same way the map colors it; official daily figures average over 24 hours (8 for ozone), so they can read lower after a short peak. Readings for 9.08°N, 7.40°E, valid 2026-11-13 17:00 UTC.