Nigeria vs South Africa: Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires
Nigeria
118,794 tonnes
in 2026
South Africa
133,796 tonnes
in 2026
Nigeria rank
27th
South Africa rank
24th
Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires over time
- Nigeria
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 133,796 tonnes against 118,794 tonnes in Nigeria, a difference of 15,002 tonnes.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Nigeria's.
The two have swapped places 9 times across 24 shared years of data; in 2003 it was Nigeria ahead.
Nigeria ranks 27th and South Africa ranks 24th of 248 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Nigeria averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Nigeria | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 271,499 tonnes | 198,761 tonnes | 72,738 tonnes | Nigeria |
| 2010s | 171,177 tonnes | 193,313 tonnes | 22,135 tonnes | South Africa |
| 2020s | 168,970 tonnes | 171,383 tonnes | 2,413 tonnes | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires, Nigeria or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 133,796 tonnes against 118,794 tonnes in Nigeria as of 2026.
- What is the difference in annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires between Nigeria and South Africa?
- 15,002 tonnes, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Nigeria and South Africa?
- 24 years are reported by both, from 2003 to 2026.
- How do Nigeria and South Africa rank globally for annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires?
- Nigeria ranks 27th and South Africa ranks 24th of 248 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
PM2.5 emissions represent the quantity of fine particulate matter (diameter less than 2.5 micrometers) released by wildfires, in tonnes. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 18 September 2026.