Dirtied by success? Nigeria is home to city with worst PM10 levels

By Phoebe Parke, for CNN

Updated 0350 GMT (1150 HKT) June 1, 2016

Onitsha -- a city few outside Nigeria will have heard of -- has the undignified honor of being labeled the world's most polluted city, according to <a href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2016/air-pollution-rising/en/" target="_blank">data </a>released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2016.
Photos: The worst cities in Africa for pollution
Onitsha – Onitsha -- a city few outside Nigeria will have heard of -- has the undignified honor of being labeled the world's most polluted city, according to data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2016.
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The booming port city in southern Nigeria, recorded 30 times more than the WHO's recommended levels of particulate matter concentration.
Photos: The worst cities in Africa for pollution
Onitsha – The booming port city in southern Nigeria, recorded 30 times more than the WHO's recommended levels of particulate matter concentration.
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"The contributing factors to pollution are a reliance on using solid fuels for cooking, burning waste and traffic pollution from very old cars," Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health, told CNN.
Photos: The worst cities in Africa for pollution
Onitsha – "The contributing factors to pollution are a reliance on using solid fuels for cooking, burning waste and traffic pollution from very old cars," Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health, told CNN.
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The transport hub of Kaduna, in the north, came fifth on the list, although<a href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2016/air-pollution-rising/en/" target="_blank"> the report</a> only included pollution levels from cities with a population of over 100,000 residents that monitor their pollution levels -- something many African cities don't do.
Photos: The worst cities in Africa for pollution
Kaduna – The transport hub of Kaduna, in the north, came fifth on the list, although the report only included pollution levels from cities with a population of over 100,000 residents that monitor their pollution levels -- something many African cities don't do.
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