When is the best time to be outside in Lagos?

Sat 11:00–14:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 63. The worst hour is around Fri 23:00, at 155.

What is the main pollutant in Lagos?

Fine particles (PM2.5). It drives the index right now, at 12 µg/m³. Tiny particles from combustion, fires and dust that reach deep into the lungs. The main driver of AQI worldwide.

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

2.1 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 31 µg/m³, against the World Health Organization's 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³. O3 is also forecast above its guideline level.

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

About 1.4 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 31 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.

Will air quality in Lagos improve this week?

Tuesday looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 87, against 155 on Friday, the worst day in the forecast.

Lagos air quality

Q: Is the air in Lagos safe today?

For most people, yes. Right now the US AQI in Lagos is 57, which counts as moderate. Acceptable. Unusually sensitive people should ease off long, intense outdoor effort. It is expected to reach 155 (unhealthy) around Fri 23:00.

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

Moderate

US AQI, mostly PM_2.5

Model estimate. Nearby measurements are shown separately.

Acceptable. Unusually sensitive people should ease off long, intense outdoor effort.

Next 24 hours: 57–155US AQI, highest around Fri 23:00
Best time outside: Sat 11:00–14:00US AQI about 63
PM_2.5 vs WHO guideline: 2.1×31 µg/m³ over 24 h, guideline 15
Cigarette equivalent: ≈ 1.4 a dayBerkeley Earth rule of thumb

Loading the live globe…

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

Pollutants in Lagos right now

Pollutant	Now	Level	Next 24 h vs WHO
Fine particles PM_2.5	12 µg/m³	Moderate	2.1×
Coarse particles PM₁₀	18 µg/m³	Good	0.8×
Nitrogen dioxide NO₂	22 µg/m³	Good	0.8×
Ozone O₃	39 µg/m³	Good	1.1×
Sulphur dioxide SO₂	1.3 µg/m³	Good	0.1×
Carbon monoxide CO	859 µg/m³	Good	0.1×
Aerosol optical depth	0.27	Whole atmosphere · dimensionless
Desert dust	7 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 155 around Fri 23:00, lowest 57 around Fri 18:00.

50100150

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

5-day air quality forecast for Lagos

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	53–155	Unhealthy	23:00	25	8 Very high
Sat 14 Nov	62–151	Unhealthy	0:00	27	9 Very high
Sun 15 Nov	66–123	Sensitive	8:00	25	9 Very high
Mon 16 Nov	67–110	Sensitive	8:00	22	8 Very high
Tue 17 Nov	59–87	Moderate	21:00	19	8 Very high

Common questions about the air in Lagos

Is the air in Lagos safe today?
For most people, yes. Right now the US AQI in Lagos is 57, which counts as moderate. Acceptable. Unusually sensitive people should ease off long, intense outdoor effort. It is expected to reach 155 (unhealthy) around Fri 23:00.
When is the best time to be outside in Lagos?
Sat 11:00–14:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 63. The worst hour is around Fri 23:00, at 155.
What is the main pollutant in Lagos?
Fine particles (PM_2.5). It drives the index right now, at 12 µg/m³. Tiny particles from combustion, fires and dust that reach deep into the lungs. The main driver of AQI worldwide.
How does Lagos's air compare with the WHO guideline?
2.1 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 31 µg/m³, against the World Health Organization's 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³. O₃ is also forecast above its guideline level.
How many cigarettes is a day of Lagos's air?
About 1.4 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 31 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.
Will air quality in Lagos improve this week?
Tuesday looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 87, against 155 on Friday, the worst day in the forecast.

Measured near Lagos

Station and measurements	Distance	US AQI	Level
Unnamed sensor OpenAQ, low-cost sensor PM_2.5: 7.3 µg/m³ · Fri 18:00	3.8 km	41	Good
Unnamed sensor OpenAQ, low-cost sensor PM_2.5: 4.0 µg/m³ · Fri 18:29	4.6 km	22	Good
Unnamed sensor OpenAQ, low-cost sensor PM_2.5: 34 µg/m³ · Fri 18:00	4.7 km	96	Moderate

Air quality near Lagos

US AQI right now. Cleanest nearby: Accra (29); worst: Abuja (118). The tick on each bar is Lagos, at 57.

Accra 407 km W 29 Good
Abuja 526 km NE 118 Sensitive
Kinshasa 1,797 km SE 44 Good
Dakar 2,451 km NW 56 Moderate
Casablanca 3,213 km N 42 Good
Kampala 3,312 km E 83 Moderate

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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 6.52°N, 3.38°E, valid 2026-11-13 17:00 UTC.