Why Air Quality Matters
Every day, we breathe in air that falls short of the WHO’s recommended air quality standards (15 μg/m3 per 24-hours), putting our health at risk. Day-to-day activities like transport, industrial processes, farming and energy generation, emit air pollutants like Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Particulate Matter (PM) that, over a long period of exposure, can reduce life expectancy and drastically affect our quality of life.
As of 2024, the vast majority of cities worldwide exceed WHO’s air quality guidelines. According to the 2024 IQAir World Air Quality Report, only about 17% of nearly 9,000 monitored cities met the WHO’s annual PM2.5 guideline of 5 µg/m³. This indicates that over 80% of cities are experiencing air pollution levels above recommended limits.
This stresses the urgent need for comprehensive air quality management strategies worldwide to mitigate health risks, protect vulnerable communities, and prevent further ecological damage by implementing data-informed strategies. However, in places like Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, where resources are limited and many communities are under-mapped, monitoring air quality is stifled. And without geospatial data, an essential tool for analyzing and monitoring air quality, it becomes harder to take actionable steps towards progressive reform.
How It Affects You
Despite the impacts of climate change, many areas of the world remain unmapped. Cities in developing countries operate without accurate infrastructure maps, putting vulnerable communities at risk from climate threats, including pollution.
Recent research reveals that elderly individuals living in areas with the highest pollution face a 40% higher risk of heart attacks compared to those in less polluted environments, a risk level comparable to having a history of smoking.
Punch News captures the impact of pollution on families in communities in Kapam, a village in Kaduna. ‘ Mrs Lydia Moses, a women’s leader in the community explained “…Our crops have failed, our livestock have died, and some women have even suffered miscarriages,” Mrs Juliana Abrak, another community’s women leader, continued “We are suffering. There is no food, and we have to go elsewhere in search of something to eat. We have fertile land, but we are too afraid to farm,”.’
Over in Côte d’Ivoire, pollution is estimated to be responsible for 34,000 premature deaths in 2016 alone, of which 8000 were children, due to respiratory infections.
Due to limited availability of pollution data at the local level, stakeholders face challenges in grasping the full scope of the issue, while communities often struggle to understand how pollution is directly impacting their health. Pollution data would help answer questions on air quality and exposure level, such as, where are the pollution hotspots? How much public infrastructure is exposed within this hotspot?How does the level of pollution in industrial areas compare to other areas?
Community mapping, quality data, innovative measures
At Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT), we believe that community participation through open mapping can answer these critical questions. When communities take part in collecting their own data, they contribute invaluable insights rooted in local knowledge, insights that are often missing or misrepresented by traditional data sources. Community data collection creates an evolving stream of information that can fill essential data gaps and is grounded by lived experiences. Through this participatory approach, the resulting data remains not just accurate but relevant.
To address these needs, HOT launched the Eco-Smart Cities Project, partnering with local organizations, Humanitarian Enhanced Platform for Development (HEPD), Afrique Spatial, who in turn, collaborated with universities and local environmental agencies including Kaduna and Lagos State Universities, and the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) in Nigeria. While in Côte d’Ivoire, we worked with the OpenStreetMap Côte d’Ivoire. These organizations are uniquely positioned to identify areas where pollution poses a serious threat, particularly in cities experiencing accelerated urbanization. Together, we set out on a collaborative effort to map pollution hotspots and exposure using a three-step approach designed to inform action and support other local stakeholders in their efforts.
Laying the Groundwork for Pollution Insights with Communities
Using the OpenStreetMap (OSM) platform and HOT’s Tasking Manager, local partners mapped roads, buildings, and infrastructure to create open geospatial datasets that lay the foundation for pollution hotspot and exposure analysis.
Youth mappers in Nigeria
After a series of locally-led training sessions on the OSM and HOT Tasking Manager, over 60 OSM youth mappers from universities across Nigeria worked remotely, mapping over 3million buildings, 6,000 km2 of road, and 38,895 km² land in 22 local government areas (LGA) in Kaduna, Lagos, and Ogun states of Nigeria. In Côte d’Ivoire, 3 mapathons were held, which resulted in 245,306 buildings and 1264 kmof roads being added to OSM.
Community contribution to OSM through the Eco-Smart Cities Project in Mushin, Lagos, one of the areas identified by the local partners in need of localized monitoring. The first map shows OSM data in December 2023, and the second map shows OSM data at the end of 2024. The Eco-Smart Cities project kicked off in January 2024 across populated cities in Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire.
Filling the Air Data Gap Through Affordable and Accessible Methods
Low-cost air quality sensors were deployed to measure key pollutants such as PM2.5 in real time. This ground-level data formed the core of the project’s evidence base, providing insights into day-to-day air pollution levels in selected neighborhoods.
Since air monitoring in the region is resource-limited, localized air monitoring is easier to achieve with affordable ground sensors, which can capture intricate details needed for precise local readings. Satellite data is used as a complementary layer to assess previous air quality trends and get broader spatial insights.
By using this method, we were able to leverage their complementary strengths. Open-source, high-resolution satellite imagery was used to analyse air trends over four years, while the on-the-ground sensors monitored air quality over a two-week period. The data from each source allowed for a comprehensive assessment of air quality.
Map of locations in Kaduna for data collection
An independent air quality expert’s review of the preliminary results revealed the presence of both nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) in Kaduna, highlighting compounded health risks for residents exposed to this mixture of contaminants during peak traffic hours or periods of industrial activity. The findings indicate that effective air quality management must prioritize emission reduction from both transportation and industrial sources to address key pollution risks.
Scatter plot for Kaduna IND measurements
The air quality expert also noted that the short timeframe of the on-ground air quality monitoring may not have captured the full pollution patterns in these areas. Therefore, there is an urgent need for long-term monitoring and donation of solar-powered monitoring devices to support continued monitoring.
This would complement the existing efforts in Nigeria by LASEPA, which operates air quality stations across some locations in Lagos, and KASU’s research and advocacy efforts. This approach of community open mapping has increased their monitoring coverage, ensuring that quality monitoring can be sustained beyond the project’s lifecycle.
Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) in Nigeria reported that:
“With the addition of two solar-powered air quality monitoring sites, some of the ‘dark spots’ have now been illuminated with 24-hour observation. With complementary infrastructure datasets from OSM, we are better positioned to design emergency response plans for sister agencies in the event of a gaseous accident.”
Kaduna State University (KASU) shared:
“The solution provided is unique and purposeful compared to the satellite estimates that do not (accurately) reflect the local situation. Running a 24-hour nonstop air quality monitoring station without any overhead cost was a game changer.”
Turning Maps into Action by Identifying Pollution Hotspots
By overlaying the air quality data with the newly mapped urban infrastructures, new data that identifies pollution hotspots and estimates population exposure is revealed.
Leveraging OSM data in combination with air quality data transforms analysis to actionable insights, allowing communities to see building density and higher population concentration areas vulnerable to pollutants. With detailed mapping, it becomes possible to pinpoint specific types of at-risk facilities, especially for vulnerable groups like children and the elderly, such as schools and health centers.
Government agencies are now better equipped to track air quality and take informed steps to protect over 3.5 million people in Nigeria. In Lagos, LASEPA continues monitoring at newly established monitoring sites. While in Kaduna, Prof. Mande, Director of the Center for Climate Change and GIS, KASU, explained that sustained efforts by KASU aim to produce analysis and recommendations by 2026 to support regulatory planning and shape air quality policies, potentially benefiting over 2 million Kaduna residents.
In Côte d’Ivoire, the OSM team met with the technical directors and the head of urban affairs and waste management, the regional management of CIAPLO (Le centre Ivoirien Anti-Pollution), and the Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny (Geography department and the Laboratoire de Traitement de l’Information et de Géomatique) to discuss the potential for upscaling of the project to address governmental needs.
OSM Côte d’Ivoire team meeting with city authorities
The coordinator of the OSM Côte d’Ivoire, sharing the impact of the project, said:
The Eco-Smart Cities project has enabled us to carry out a number of activities: In terms of cartography, we mapped the entirety of two major cities in Côte d’Ivoire, namely the capital, Yamoussoukro, and Gagnoa. The towns of Anyama and Bingerville were also successfully mapped. The project also enabled us to acquire air quality data collection equipment. The project has enabled us to set up a network of “important partnerships on which we can rely in the future to carry out other projects, and with which we can work to ensure the sustainability of the project’s achievements.”
A Scalable Community-Driven Model for Cleaner and Healthier Cities
Looking ahead, this cost-effective, technically accessible, and collaborative model offers a promising pathway for environmental planning and grassroots-informed future air quality policies.
By equipping local actors with tools and knowledge to generate and analyse air quality data, it lays the foundation for an inclusive, data-informed and evidence-based ecological planning and decision making. The open mapping data approach presents a scalable approach that can be replicated in cities facing similar challenges in the event of rapid urbanization, helping to bridge data gaps and building healthier and resilient urban futures.
The project demonstrates how the fusion of open data, community participation, and accessible technology can create powerful, localized solutions to a pertinent global challenge, such as air pollution that has left no country untouched. The model piloted here—bringing together citizen scientists, urban leaders, and open-source tools—offers a blueprint for other countries to adopt and adapt. As cities everywhere strive to become healthier and more resilient, this approach stands as a replicable path forward for building eco-smart cities grounded in transparency, inclusion, and data-driven action.
The Authors
Omowonuola Akintola is a Geospatial and Data Specialist at Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT), adept at using geospatial technology to create innovative solutions that refine data across Africa, driving climate change and local development. Combined with an active involvement in community volunteering, her technical expertise provides a unique perspective on addressing societal needs.
Melodee Okigbo is a Communications Strategist intern at Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT), who crafts stories and strategies around open mapping and humanitarian response. With a passion for elevating local voices and making technical projects accessible, she’s working to bridge strategy, storytelling, and social impact.
Atiya Anis is a Senior Communications Advisor with a visionary approach to crafting impactful narratives, driving engagement strategies, and leveraging the power of storytelling. As a proponent of an equitable and sustainable society, she thrives on turning ideas into actionable strategies that resonate with diverse communities.
Appendix
Dynamic Maps of Air Pollution Risk Assessment in Nigeria
Web – https://openmappinghubwna.shinyapps.io/ecosmartcities_desktop_app/
Mobile – https://openmappinghubwna.shinyapps.io/ecosmartcities_mobile_app/
