Worst air pollution Lagos, today and tomorrow
Today (23 August): Air quality in Lagos is fair. AQI, PM2.5, NO2, HCHO, and PM1 are fair; PM10, O3, SO2, and CO are good. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (HCHO: 37.1/100).
Tomorrow (24 August 2026): Air quality in Lagos is moderate. AQI worsens to moderate; O3 increases to fair; HCHO increases to moderate; all other pollutants stay as today. Pollution peaks around 7:00 AM (HCHO: 44.5/100). Airmine updates local air quality forecasts four times daily.
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Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team
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Lagos's air quality reflects the flat Nigerian Atlantic coastal position on the Bight of Benin at Victoria Island, with vehicle traffic on surrounding expressways and the extraordinary vehicle density, open waste burning, and the Apapa port industrial corridor generating elevated PM2.5 and black carbon. The Atlantic sea breezes provide coastal ventilation, while the Harmattan dust from the Sahara creates severe PM10 episodes from November to March and Lagos maintains among West Africa's more persistently challenged major coastal metropolitan environments throughout the year.
Today - 23 August | Pollution peaks at 23:00
AQI:
Fair
37.1/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
21.7/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
6.6/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Fair
33.3/100
O3 (ozone):
Good
19.2/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
6.5/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Fair
37.1/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
24.6/100
Levels show the poorest local air quality during the day
Tomorrow - 24 August | Pollution peaks at 07:00
AQI:
Moderate
44.5/100
PM2.5 (fine particles):
Fair
22.5/100
PM10 (coarse particles):
Good
6.8/100
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide):
Fair
34.4/100
O3 (ozone):
Fair
25.7/100
SO2 (sulfur dioxide):
Good
7.6/100
CO (carbon monoxide):
Good
0.0/100
HCHO (formaldehyde):
Moderate
44.5/100
PM1 (ultrafine particles):
Fair
25.8/100
Frequently Asked Questions
Is air quality bad in Lagos right now?
On 23 August 2026, overall air quality in Lagos is fair. AQI is the main air quality indicator at 37.1/100. Pollution peaks around 11:00 PM (HCHO: 37.1/100).
Will air quality be worse tomorrow in Lagos?
On 24 August 2026, air quality conditions in Lagos will be worse than today, with AQI forecast at moderate at 44.5/100. Pollution peaks around 7:00 AM (HCHO: 44.5/100).
When is air pollution at its worst in Lagos?
Air quality in Lagos tends to be worse when traffic on the surrounding roads, shipbuilding and port operations, along with waste and landfill emissions build up and dry spells bring strong winds. Dust carried on these winds adds substantially to particulate levels. Sea breezes typically keep conditions in check, except during still weather.
Are air quality levels in Lagos based on measurements or forecasts?
It is forecasts derived by downscaling forecasts provided by EU’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) by taking into account local conditions such as traffic patterns. CAMS bases its forecast on satellite measurements of particles and chemical compounds in the atmosphere. Airmine’s services were developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team.
Why doesn’t the forecast always reflect wildfire impacts?
Airmine’s forecast uses CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) as its background atmospheric model. While CAMS includes wildfire emissions, these are derived from satellite observations and are not available in real time. During rapidly evolving wildfire events, there may therefore be a delay before increased emissions are incorporated into the model. As a result, the forecast may temporarily underestimate PM₂.₅ and other pollutants associated with wildfire smoke.
During rapidly evolving wildfire events, CAMS may lag by approximately 1–2 days before increased wildfire emissions are fully represented, which can lead to temporary underestimation of PM₂.₅ concentrations in Airmine’s forecast.
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Data provided by Airmine — Last update: 24 August 2026 at 02:28 CEST (Data is updated four times daily.)
This forecast is produced independently using Airmine's own atmospheric data and models.
Unless explicitly made clear, the content on this site has not been paid for by external organisations and is Airmine's sole responsibility.
Disclaimer: Forecasts are provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as medical advice. Actual pollen and air quality conditions may vary from the forecast. If you have allergies, asthma, or another medical condition, consult a healthcare professional. Please see our Terms of Service for important information about limitations of liability.
Some text on this page may be generated or summarised using artificial intelligence (AI). Wherever possible, AI-generated content is enriched with Airmine's proprietary data to improve its accuracy and relevance. However, AI-generated content may still contain errors, omissions, or inaccuracies.
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