SmogRank / World / Africa

Most polluted cities in Africa

38 of 60 measured cities in 12 countries were above the WHO 24-hour guideline over the last 30 days. The worst was Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, at 78.1 µg/m³.

Zimbabwe: 2 measured citiesZambiaYemenUzbekistanSaint HelenaUnited Arab Emirates: 1 measured cityUganda: 1 measured cityTurkmenistanTurkey: 1 measured cityTunisiaTogoTanzaniaSyriaEswatiniSouth SudanSudanSpain: 64 measured citiesSouth Africa: 35 measured citiesSomaliaSierra Leone: 1 measured citySeychellesSenegal: 4 measured citiesSaudi ArabiaSao Tome and PrincipeRwandaQatarPortugal: 4 measured citiesOmanNigeria: 2 measured citiesNigerNamibiaMozambique: 1 measured cityMoroccoWestern SaharaMauritiusMauritaniaMalta: 1 measured cityMaliMalawi: 5 measured citiesMadagascarLibyaLiberiaLesothoLebanon: 3 measured citiesKuwaitKenyaJordanItaly: 13 measured citiesIsraelPalestinian TerritoryIraqIranGuinea-BissauGuineaGreece: 3 measured citiesGhana: 4 measured citiesGambiaGabonFrance: 102 measured citiesEthiopiaEritreaEquatorial GuineaEgyptDjiboutiCyprusIvory Coast: 2 measured citiesDemocratic Republic of the Congo: 1 measured cityRepublic of the CongoComorosChadCentral African RepublicCameroon: 2 measured citiesBurundiBurkina FasoBotswanaBeninBahrainAzerbaijan: 1 measured cityArmenia: 1 measured cityAngolaAlgeriaAlbania: 1 measured cityAfghanistan
Each dot is a measured city, coloured by its PM2.5 over the last 30 days; tap a country to open it.
← Kinshasa 78.1 µg/m³ 70 µg/m³15 WHO 24-hour guideline
Every measured city in Africa, one column each, worst on the left and cleanest on the right; height is PM2.5 in µg/m³. Point at it to read a city; tap to open it.

Countries

CountryCitiesMedianCities by bandWorst city
Democratic Republic of the Congo178.1 Kinshasa 78.1
Malawi558.6 Blantyre 66.7
Uganda156.4 Kampala 56.4
Zimbabwe233.9 Harare 39.6
Nigeria225.0 Ibadan 25.6
South Africa3518.1 Vereeniging 42.8
Ghana416.1 Ashaiman 19.9
Cameroon214.7 Douala 17.0
Sierra Leone114.7 Freetown 14.7
Ivory Coast212.1 Abidjan 12.8
Senegal411.6 Saint-Louis 46.1
Mozambique18.7 Maputo 8.7

Worst cities

  1. 1Kinshasalow-cost sensorsKinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo 167
  2. 2Blantyrelow-cost sensorsSouthern Region, Malawi 159
  3. 3Lilongwelow-cost sensorsCentral Region, Malawi 156
  4. 4Zombalow-cost sensorsSouthern Region, Malawi 153
  5. 5Kampalalow-cost sensorsCentral Region, Uganda 152
  6. 6Saint-Louislow-cost sensorsSaint-Louis, Senegal 127
  7. 7VereenigingGauteng, South Africa 119
  8. 8TzaneenLimpopo, South Africa 118
  9. 9Karongalow-cost sensorsNorthern Region, Malawi 114
  10. 10Hararelow-cost sensorsHarare, Zimbabwe 111
  11. 11LeslieMpumalanga, South Africa 105
  12. 12Mzuzulow-cost sensorsNorthern Region, Malawi 103
  13. 13ThembisaGauteng, South Africa 93
  14. 14Beitbridgelow-cost sensorsMatabeleland South Province, Zimbabwe 87
  15. 15Ibadanlow-cost sensorsOyo State, Nigeria 82
  16. 16ModimolleLimpopo, South Africa 81
  17. 17EvatonGauteng, South Africa 80
  18. 18Lagoslow-cost sensorsLagos, Nigeria 80
  19. 19TshiterekeLimpopo, South Africa 79
  20. 20DurbanKwaZulu-Natal, South Africa 79
  21. 21PolokwaneLimpopo, South Africa 79
  22. 22EmalahleniMpumalanga, South Africa 78
  23. 23eMbalenhleMpumalanga, South Africa 78
  24. 24SecundaMpumalanga, South Africa 77
  25. 25AmandelbultLimpopo, South Africa 77
All cities in the world
Good0–50
Moderate51–100
Sensitive groups101–150
Unhealthy151–200
Very unhealthy201–300
Hazardous301+

The US EPA's Air Quality Index for PM2.5 (2024 breakpoints). Show values as: µg/m³ · US AQI · India AQI · China AQI · European AQI · UK DAQI · Canada AQHI+. About the scales

Updated 2026-10-02 09:07 UTC. Values are PM2.5 (fine particles), the median of each city's monitors, as the US AQI PM2.5 sub-index.