Air pollution is a general environmental issue that cuts across borders all over the world. The causes and effect has been intense since the evolution of the industrial age and the discovery of oil in developing countries.

The World Health Organization defines air pollution as ?the disequilibrium of air caused due to the introduction of foreign elements to humans? natural and manmade sources to the air so that it becomes injurious to biological communities?. Today, the environment has become foul, contaminated, undesirable and therefore, harmful for the health of living organisms, including man.

In Nigeria, erratic and unstable power supply has led to the large importation of the portable-sized generators to supply electricity. They are small, relatively convenient, extremely loud, smoky, but they get the job done. However, the combustion process of these generators are incomplete and produces large amount of carbon monoxide to the atmosphere which has caused high

Researchers at the University of Lagos led by associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Dr. Chimezie Anyakora, wrote that ?The lack of constant electricity power supply to meet utility usage in developing countries like Nigeria has warrant the use of petroleum powered generators to supply electricity.?

Furthermore, researches also revealed that Lagos? 18 million residents inhale daily a deadly mix of Particulate Matter (PM), asbestos, Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Oxide (NO), Carbon Monoxide (CO), and partially unburnt hydrocarbons.

In addition to this, the growth of the country?s oil industry, combined with a population explosion and a lack of environmental regulation, led to substantial damage to Nigeria?s environment especially in the Niger Delta region, the centre of the country?s oil industry.

The Niger Delta?s main environmental challenges result from oil spillage, gas flaring and deforestation. in this part of the world, gas flaring is the one the hottest environmental issues in Nigeria and Government is not showing serious concern.

Nigeria flares 17.2 billion m3 of natural gas per year in conjunction with the exploration of crude oil in the Niger Delta. Gas flares are often located close to local communities and regularly lack adequate fencing or protection for villagers who may risk working near heat of the flare. These pollutants are associated with a variety of adverse health impacts, including cancer, neurological, reproductive and developmental effects.

As of today, the Federal Government of Nigeria has decided that it?s time for the cheap neighborhood generators to go.  On November, 2015 a ban was officially placed on these small generators from being imported into the country due to the high rate of air pollution.

Conclusively, though the draft Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) stipulates that "natural gas shall not be flared or vented after 31st December, 2012, in any oil and gas production operation, block or field, onshore or offshore, or gas facility, except under exceptional and temporary circumstances", this draft is yet to be passed into law. Legislative backing and governmental bureaucracy still remains a stumbling block.