Chad Ranked Africa’s Most Air-Polluted Country in 2025

A report by Swiss air quality monitoring firm IQAir has ranked Chad as Africa’s most air-polluted country in 2025, with concentrations of hazardous fine particles exceeding the recommended levels set by the World Health Organization.

Lead author of the IQAir report, Christi Chester Schroeder, said the loss of air quality monitoring data in March created the appearance of a significant drop in PM2.5 levels in Chad.

“The loss of the data in March made it appear there was a significant drop in PM2.5 levels (in Chad), but the fact of the matter is that we don’t know,” Schroeder said.

Chad, which recorded the highest air pollution levels globally in 2024, ranked fourth worldwide in 2025.

The annual report showed that 13 countries and territories maintained average PM2.5 levels within the WHO guideline of less than five micrograms per cubic metre in 2025, up from seven in 2024.

Overall, 130 of the 143 monitored countries and territories exceeded the WHO recommended limit. Outside Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Tajikistan ranked among the world’s most polluted countries.

Experts say natural factors also contribute to the country’s air quality challenges. The Bodélé Depression in northern Chad is one of the windiest places on Earth and is considered one of the planet’s largest sources of airborne dust.

According to the report, only 14 percent of the world’s cities met the WHO air quality guideline in 2025, down from 17 percent the previous year.