Real-time pollution data key to climate response – MAJI
…As stakeholders review Air Quality Monitoring Portal
By Ndifreke Enefiok, Uyo
The Media Awareness and Justice Initiative (MAJI) has raised concerns over the rising levels of air pollution in the Niger Delta, noting that real-time environmental data is key to addressing climate responses across the region.
MAJI, a civil society organisation made this known on Wednesday, November 5 during an Environmental Portal Validation Meeting/Press briefing in Uyo. The project which is a two-year project implemented under the Strengthening Data for Climate Action in Nigeria ( SD-CAN) and funded by the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), brought together representatives of government agencies, CSOs, and the media to review the organisation’s DATACAB portal, developed to track real-time air pollution in the Niger Delta.
According to the organisation, real-time environmental data interpretation would enhance the advocacy efforts, and policy engagement of CSOs and stakeholders by strengthening their knowledge while arming them with the right information to address climate and other environmental related concerns.
Addressing stakeholders at the meeting, the Executive Director of MAJI, Emmanuel Okoro who was represented by the Project Manager, Mr Ikechukwu Ahaka, explained that the portal datacab.io was developed to respond to gaps in air pollution information and make verifiable environmental data accessible to policy actors and stakeholders.
To gather this data, Okoro explained that monitoring devices are installed across selected communities in three pilot states – Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers, to help track air pollution in communities affected by gas flaring, industrial emissions, and refining activities.
He hinted that “We have been able to develop a portal that aggregates data collected from the environment and makes it accessible for public and stakeholder use. This information is real-time and evidence-based, enabling communities and institutions to make informed climate decisions. The platform houses information on pollution, especially particulate matter linked to oil exploration activities causing ambient air pollution.”
“Our focus is to ensure that stakeholders can navigate the portal, understand pollution levels in their communities, and use that information to take action. We also discussed enhancing the portal for persons with disabilities and incorporating voice-based access to support users in local languages,” he noted.
He noted that the air quality monitors deployed across the three states gather data directly from locations where oil exploration and related industrial activities take place, stressing that the devices forward these readings into the datacab portal, where they are analysed and simplified.
MAJI ED disclosed that so far 60 air quality monitoring devices have been deployed across the three pilot states with hopes to expand to other communities pending future funding avenues.
Sharing insights on findings made, he disclosed that data on the portal shows spikes and varying levels of pollution across the different states, with several communities recording high particulate concentration while others remain moderate.
“In some locations, air quality is moderate, but in many others, we have identified dangerously high pollution levels linked to industrial emissions and gas flaring. These are critical public health and environmental concerns especially in oil producing communities,” he said.
Following the review of the portal, Okoro noted that the organization is considering introducing features such as voice input and language interpretation, particularly for people who cannot read or write and persons with disabilities.
Meanwhile, he noted that despite the slow response from the government, the organisation would continue to explore and engage stakeholders, relevant agencies, and community leaders to enable them take ownership of the project while deploying more devices to address climate responses.
In his overview of MAJI Environmental Portal, datacab.io, Dr Prince Eze stressed on the importance of data and the need to understand how data are analysed for informed decision-making, noting that “data is the new oil.”
Eze, a consultant with MAJI, emphasised that when communities understand the data behind the pollution they experience, their advocacy becomes evidence-driven and more effective, maintaining that real-time data remains one of the strongest tools for host communities to engage companies and government institutions on their environmental responsibilities.
While urging stakeholders to leverage on data provided on the portal to make informed decisions, Eze noted that MAJI would continue to release air quality data and reports to help address climate and environmental concerns.
In their recommendation, stakeholders who reviewed the parameters used in measuring air quality, called for more improvements and easy navigation on the portal for different categories of users, including persons with disabilities and uneducated people at the community level.