City in Littoral, Benin
Air quality in Cotonou
Fairly clean
The annual average PM2.5 in Cotonou was 7.7 µg/m³ in 2020, about 1.5 times the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³. Harmattan dust and haze in Dec–Feb; exhaust from heavy moto traffic.
Key facts
- PM2.5: 7.7 µg/m³ yearly average (2020). Measured at Cotonou.
- PM10: 9.1 µg/m³ (2020).
- Nitrogen dioxide: 129.6 µg/m³ (2020), mostly from traffic.
- Worst months: Dec–Feb.
Quick answers
Is the air in Cotonou bad?
Fairly clean: 7.7 µg/m³ of PM2.5 on average, 1.5× the WHO guideline. It's usually worst in Dec–Feb.
When is the air worst in Cotonou?
Harmattan dust and haze in Dec–Feb; exhaust from heavy moto traffic.
How does Cotonou compare with the rest of Benin?
People in Benin breathe 40 µg/m³ of PM2.5 on average (2023, World Bank/WHO), against 7.7 µg/m³ measured here.
More about Cotonou
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Sources
- WHO Ambient Air Quality Database
- WHO air quality guidelines (2021)
- Live air quality map (WAQI)
- Gozem
- Fondation Zinsou
Annual averages are measured values reported to the WHO; check a live map for today's air. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.