Saturday February 28, 2026
www.thenewsdesk.ng
By Dennis Udoma, Uyo
A renowned respiratory physician, Professor Etete James Peters, has sounded a grave warning over the growing threat of air pollution in Nigeria, describing the air humans depend on for survival as a paradoxical agent of both life and death.
Delivering a thought-provoking 128th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Uyo titled “The Air and Breath of Life or Death: Unravelling the Paradox of Human Survival” on Thursday, February 26, 2026, Prof. Peters declared that while humans inhale about 20,000 litres of air daily to sustain life, the same air increasingly carries toxic pollutants responsible for millions of premature deaths globally.
Citing global health data, he noted that 95 per cent of the world’s population breathes unsafe air, with air pollution ranking as the second leading cause of non-communicable diseases after tobacco use.
The pulmonologist lamented Nigeria’s poor air quality ranking to be 152nd out of 180 countries globally, and its position among the 11 most polluted nations in the world, with a PM2.5 level of 21.40 micrograms per cubic metre.
He expressed concern that, unlike major global cities where daily ‘Air Quality Index’ (AQI) reports guide public health decisions, Nigeria lacks sufficient air quality monitoring systems.
“Fine particulate matter, especially PM2.5, remains the most dangerous threat. These microscopic particles penetrate deep into the lungs, causing inflammation and entering the bloodstream, leading to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including cancer,” he explained.
Referencing statistics from the World Health Organization, Prof. Peters disclosed that ambient (outdoor) air pollution accounted for an estimated 4.2 million premature deaths worldwide in 2019, while more recent estimates put total pollution-related deaths at about 7 million annually.
He listed ischemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute lower respiratory infections and lung cancer as leading causes of pollution-related mortality.
Beyond outdoor pollution, he stressed that indoor air pollution remains a silent killer, particularly in low – and middle -income countries, where biomass fuels such as firewood, charcoal and kerosene are widely used for cooking in poorly ventilated spaces.
According to him, household air pollution claims about 3.2 million lives annually, with women and children bearing the greatest burden.
The professor drew attention to the deadly effects of carbon monoxide poisoning, commonly caused by generator fumes and kerosene stoves.
“Carbon monoxide is colourless, odourless and tasteless. It is produced by incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuels.
“In Nigeria, generator fumes have been responsible for numerous avoidable deaths, especially when used indoors or close to living spaces at night,” he warned.
Prof. Peters linked increasing cases of asthma particularly, among children and adolescents to exposure to nitrogen oxides and PM2.5, noting that 13 percent of global asthma incidence is attributable to nitrogen dioxide exposure.
He further explained that a 5µg/m³ rise in PM2.5 levels increases COPD prevalence by as much as 52 percent, while prolonged exposure contributes to asthma-COPD overlap syndrome.
Beyond respiratory illnesses, he highlighted emerging evidence linking air pollution to neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, depression, anxiety and stroke.
Pollutants, he said, trigger oxidative stress, damage the blood-brain barrier and accelerate cognitive decline.
He also identified pollution-related skin diseases, endocrine disorders like Type 2 diabetes, kidney impairment, eye diseases and certain cancers including lymphoma and pancreatic cancer as growing public health concerns.
Reflecting on his academic journey spanning over three decades, Prof. Peters said his research interest in air pollution began during his residency and intensified in 1986, while preparing his dissertation for the West African College of Physicians.
One of his early landmark studies investigated lung function among residents of fishing settlements in Akwa Ibom State chronically exposed to smoke from traditional fish smoking methods.
The findings, he said, revealed significant respiratory impairment linked to prolonged biomass smoke exposure adding that, between 2016 and 2019, he conducted a three-year prospective study on bronchiectasis at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, recruiting 76 patients.
The study found that 57.9 percent had previous tuberculosis treatment, 21.1 percent were HIV positive, and 94.7 per cent presented with chronic cough, underscoring the complex interplay between infections and chronic lung diseases.
He also investigated the manifestations of COVID-19 infection among children in Akwa Ibom State, identifying family contact as a major transmission factor.
As former Chief Medical Director of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital from 2009 to 2017, Prof. Peters facilitated the institution’s first full accreditation by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria for the University of Uyo College of Health Sciences, strengthening medical training and healthcare delivery in the region.
On the way forward, the erudite Professor and respiratory expert called on government at all levels for urgent policy action, and advocated for improved air quality monitoring, stricter environmental regulations, transition to cleaner energy sources, as well as public awareness campaigns.
He also recommended simple preventive measures such as proper ventilation, avoiding indoor generator use, covering the nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, and regular hand hygiene to reduce airborne disease transmission.
“Air sustains life, yet polluted air is steadily shortening it. The paradox must end with deliberate action,” Prof. Peters concluded, urging government, institutions and citizens to treat air pollution as a public health emergency.