Nigeria · Benue State · 2 cities
Air quality in Benue State today The AQI right now, city by city
Right now, Gboko has the cleanest air of the 2 cities we track in Benue State (AQI 63, Moderate), and Makurdi the worst (AQI 76, Moderate). Makurdi has the most tree cover, at 11.0% — #54 of 94 cities measured in Nigeria.
Every city is measured the same way, over the same 2 km around its center: the air quality right now, from ground stations where there are any, and its tree cover.
- cities tracked
- 2
- average tree cover
- 9.3%
- Nigeria: 19.4%
- worst air now: Makurdi
- 76
- cleanest air now: Gboko
- 63
Lower is better on the US EPA index: 0–50 is Good, above 300 is Hazardous. Measured by Airleaf, refreshed hourly.
Benue State
Air quality today across Benue State, city by city
| Makurdi | 76Moderate | 11.0% | 54.3K | #54 of 94 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gboko | 63Moderate | 7.7% | 70.1K | #65 of 94 |
Air quality is the US AQI from ground monitoring stations via OpenAQ where available, otherwise the Open-Meteo / CAMS model, refreshed hourly. Tree cover is measured within 2 km of each city center from Sentinel-2 imagery; the rank compares every city measured in Nigeria.
Deforestation · 2001–2025
How much forest has Benue State lost?
Since 2001, Benue State has lost about 6,340 hectares of forest (about 8,900 football pitches): 11% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to shifting farming, so much of it can grow back. About 1,930 hectares (30%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest lost since 2001
- 6,340 haabout 8,900 football pitches
- Share of its forest
- 11%of what there was in 2000
- Cleared for good
- 1,930 hadeforestation: turned into farms, mines or towns
Hectares of forest lost each year
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Cleared for good | Can grow back | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 63 ha | 19 ha | 82 ha |
| 2002 | 18 ha | 25 ha | 42 ha |
| 2003 | 51 ha | 12 ha | 63 ha |
| 2004 | 19 ha | 6 ha | 25 ha |
| 2005 | 22 ha | 4 ha | 26 ha |
| 2006 | 22 ha | 10 ha | 31 ha |
| 2007 | 16 ha | 17 ha | 34 ha |
| 2008 | 33 ha | 2 ha | 35 ha |
| 2009 | 33 ha | 8 ha | 41 ha |
| 2010 | 35 ha | 23 ha | 58 ha |
| 2011 | 13 ha | 3 ha | 16 ha |
| 2012 | 33 ha | 11 ha | 43 ha |
| 2013 | 17 ha | 15 ha | 32 ha |
| 2014 | 39 ha | 105 ha | 144 ha |
| 2015 | 38 ha | 143 ha | 181 ha |
| 2016 | 20 ha | 115 ha | 135 ha |
| 2017 | 292 ha | 483 ha | 775 ha |
| 2018 | 195 ha | 783 ha | 978 ha |
| 2019 | 71 ha | 200 ha | 271 ha |
| 2020 | 124 ha | 314 ha | 438 ha |
| 2021 | 222 ha | 657 ha | 879 ha |
| 2022 | 229 ha | 414 ha | 643 ha |
| 2023 | 141 ha | 451 ha | 592 ha |
| 2024 | 98 ha | 383 ha | 481 ha |
| 2025 | 91 ha | 204 ha | 294 ha |
Forest loss has stayed about the same: about 578 hectares a year in 2021–2025, against 519 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2018, when about 978 hectares of forest were lost.
What is causing deforestation in Benue State?
- Shifting farmingcan grow back68% · 4,330 ha
- Farms, pasture and plantationscleared for good30% · 1,920 ha
- Unknown causescause unknown1.1% · 68 ha
Also: towns and roads, logging, storms, floods and other natural causes, mining and energy.
Causes for 2025 are estimates, based on what caused forest loss in the same places up to 2024.
Source: Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA, Global Forest Change (GFC-2025-v1.13); causes: WRI/Google DeepMind drivers of forest loss; both CC BY 4.0, summed by Airleaf for each area. How it's measured
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