Asthmatic university students in Nigeria are finding the annual Harmattan season increasingly hazardous as climate‑driven air pollution aggravates their breathing difficulties, prompting calls for greater public awareness and cleaner campus environments.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 363 million people worldwide suffered from asthma in 2023, with the condition responsible for 442,000 deaths. In many Nigerian communities, however, understanding of what it truly means to live with asthma remains alarmingly limited.
Rapid environmental changes amplify the physical strain of asthma. Emissions from motor vehicles, industrial activities and open‑air waste burning constantly irritate the airways, while sudden shifts in temperature, dust levels and pollen concentrations trigger flare‑ups.
Climate change is not a distant threat for Nigerians; it manifests daily on congested roads, in thick smoke from bush burning, in harsh chemical odors, and in rising urban heat waves. For an asthmatic, each seasonal shift becomes a negotiation for survival rather than a simple change in weather.
The challenge is especially acute on university campuses as the dry season approaches. In Nigeria, the Harmattan season is traditionally linked with dry, dusty and cold conditions that instantly provoke hyper‑reactive airways.
> "Dealing with severe coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and the inability > to walk far without intense pressure in my chest is a major challenge for me > as a student during Harmattan," one student explained. "Even simple > activities become exhausting."
Under such circumstances, movement turns into a coping strategy. Inhalers become indispensable companions, and protective face masks serve as personal shields against the abrasive air.
What impact does the season have on students?
Another student recounted arriving early for a 7 a.m. lecture when the cold air suddenly took its toll. "My class was on the third floor of my faculty building. Climbing the stairs in the frigid air left me breathless. My nose was blocked and I could barely inhale, but I kept pushing forward. By the time I reached the lecture hall, I was struggling to breathe, my chest tightened and I could only gasp for air. It was a terrible experience."
On a bustling campus, a missed lecture or an empty seat is often misinterpreted as poor time‑management, laziness or indifference. In reality, it may simply be a student whose lungs refused to cooperate that morning.
Why is public awareness crucial?
Broad public education is essential before the heavy Harmattan dust settles. People with asthma need clear information about their triggers and prescribed treatment plans, while families, schools and communities must recognise that asthma symptoms are not exaggerations. The environment plays a pivotal role.
Reducing open waste burning, limiting exposure to smoke, monitoring air quality and creating cleaner indoor spaces are not merely environmental concerns; they are urgent public‑health priorities.
What should be done before the season peaks?
Before the first thick dust clouds arrive, before cold mornings become routine, and before coughing becomes a daily companion, collective action is required. The next time a student pauses halfway up a campus staircase, it may appear as fatigue. The next time someone misses an examination, it may be labelled irresponsibility. Yet often, a silent battle is raging inside a chest that no one else can see.
Climate change is already arriving with dust, smoke and cold air, and as the seasons shift, it is vital to remember that not every lung experiences that change in the same way.
*Oluwasaanufunmi, a student of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba‑Akoko, is an intern with the Nigerian Tribune.*