A transformative project to combat urban air pollution in two of Nigeria’s largest cities, Lagos and Port Harcourt, is currently underway. The initiative deploys a network of Low-Cost Sensors (LCS) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to monitor PM2.5, dangerous fine particulate matter commonly linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

The project, titled, “PM2.5 Monitoring and Policy Recommendations for Lagos and Port Harcourt Transport Systems Using Low-Cost Sensors and Artificial Intelligence,” officially commenced on February 1, 2025, with funding from the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC).

With Nigeria’s limited air quality monitoring infrastructure, the initiative represents a critical step toward data-driven transport and environmental health policies, particularly in urban centres where pollution levels remain largely undocumented.

Speaking on the development, Project Lead and Associate Professor of Environmental Chemistry, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Dr Rose Alani, said it is designed to fill a long-standing data gap, noting that for too long, decisions have been made without reliable data on pollution from urban transport. She added that the initiative is to change that approach, starting with Lagos and Port Harcourt.

According to her, the major objectives of the project are the deployment of 15 Low-Cost Sensors, 10 deployed in Lagos and five in Port Harcourt; 12-month continuous monitoring of PM2.5 along key transport routes; AI analysis to forecast pollution trends and inform policy, and open-access data to increase transparency and public engagement.

Lagos, one of Africa’s most populous cities, grapples with daily gridlock and vehicular emissions, while Port Harcourt faces additional threats from industrial activities and black carbon pollution. Both cities are high-priority zones for robust air quality interventions.

Director of Weather Forecasting Services at NiMet and Professor of Atmospheric Science, University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Vincent Weli, said: “Port Harcourt’s air quality is further compromised by oil-related industrial emissions. This initiative will help establish a scientific baseline for action.”