The University of Lagos, Nigeria (UNILAG) has blazed the trail in environmental research and innovation by hosting a real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) platform on its official website: www.unilag.edu.ng.
The innovation, being a first-of-its-kind initiative in the Nigerian university system, serves as a toast to the pioneering milestones of the Air Quality Monitoring Research Group (AQMRG), UNILAG.
The groundbreaking platform provides up-to-the-minute data on air quality levels across the Akoka campus of UNILAG, its surrounding environment and some locations across Lagos State. It measures and reports the concentration of key air pollutants including:
- Particulate Matter (PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀),
- Ozone (O₃),
- Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂),
- Sulphur Dioxide (SO₂), and
- Carbon Monoxide (CO).
Each pollutant level is displayed using a numerical scale and a corresponding colour code, making it easy for users to interpret the air quality status.
Beyond monitoring, the Air Quality Index (AQI) platform also underscores UNILAG’s commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and Goal 13 (Climate Action).
Through this initiative, the Air Quality Monitoring Research Group aims to raise public awareness about air pollution and its impact on health, while promoting evidence-based advocacy for cleaner, safer urban environments.
With this innovative stride, UNILAG stands at the forefront of universities driving data-driven environmental action in Nigeria, reaffirming its role as a centre of excellence in research, innovation, and community impact.
Report: Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem
Photographs: Nike Ogunshakin and Ben Ugubrai
