What began as faint patches on the wall, barely noticeable at first, soon deepened into dark, spreading blotches. The air grew damp and stale, heavy with an earthy scent that clung to clothes and skin. Walls cracked further, paint peeled, and what once passed as minor dampness quietly bred spores that infiltrated the lungs. Coughs lingered longer, noses remained congested, and fatigue crept in unexplained. The quiet spread of mould turned homes into slow-burning health traps, where every breath came with a cost few initially recognised, JOSEPHINE OGUNDEJI reports
For Ifeoma Uzo, a Lagos Island resident, it started with a persistent cough. Weeks later, she was grappling with difficulty breathing and recurring headaches.
“I thought it was just stress or the weather; I never imagined the mould on my bedroom walls could be the cause,” she relayed.
In a similar view, an actress, Teniola Aladese, narrates her ordeal in a two-part YouTube series titled, “How my apartment almost killed me.”
After leaving home for a movie shoot, she returned to discover that her house had been flooded. Shortly after, she found herself in and out of the hospital due to recurring illness.
According to her, the symptoms, like sore throat, fatigue, and headaches, would ease whenever she left the house but returned almost immediately once she stepped back inside.
She narrated, “During this time, my dad was extremely concerned, especially during the last admission. Back in the day, they’d have to force me to go to the hospital. Now, I just carry myself there. That’s adulthood for you. This time, it wasn’t even my mom that came to the hospital; it was my dad. He came and sat in front of me while I lay in bed with the drip. He was so concerned. He looked at me and asked in Ondo, then repeated in English, ‘Are you sure there’s nobody you’ve offended at work?’ I was like, ‘No, I don’t think so. I think people like working with me. I don’t fight or bring drama. But the question lingered. Was this a spiritual attack? Everyone was clearly worried. I didn’t think I’d offended anyone, but even I started wondering. Eventually, I went to see the ENT doctor (ear, nose, and throat; it’s a medical speciality also known as otolaryngology). The consultation couldn’t have lasted more than nine minutes. I had written down everything and asked if he’d prefer, I read it or hand it over. He said I should read it. After listening, he glanced at my throat and asked if I’d been in a damp area recently. I said yes; during my illness, I wasn’t staying in my own apartment. I was in the hospital and then at my parents’ house. But when I finally returned home, I discovered that my apartment had flooded. He said, ‘That’s most probably the issue.’
“I was stunned. This man prescribed allergy pills and told me to stay away from my apartment for four days. That was it. I left his office thinking he was full of shit. Like, how can that be the solution after all I’ve been through? I got home, still running a temperature. I gargled with salt water; still no difference. But then I took one of the pills, and within minutes, I felt relief. That’s when I started thinking, maybe he knows what he’s saying after all. I moved in temporarily with my friend’s place. God bless them. They insisted I come over. I felt better there, still weak, but better. That’s when I started Googling – mould toxicity, TikToks, YouTube videos, articles, everything lined up.
“Hair loss, headaches, unexplained illnesses, I saw stories of people whose homes were hiding mould behind floorboards, people who had to abandon everything, books, clothes, couches, everything, because mould spores seep into everything. They couldn’t take anything with them. And that was precisely what was happening to me. My immune system was already compromised from the tetanus and antibiotics. So, I became highly susceptible. And suddenly, everything made sense. I was grateful that my lease was almost up. I wasn’t planning to move, but after this, I told the house manager I was not renewing.
“I tried to go back and pack; I wore a mask and stayed ten minutes. My head started pounding, my temperature spiked, and my body was shutting down, even with the mask on. I called my mom. Told her I couldn’t do it. She sent her driver and housekeeper; they packed everything for me. However, I couldn’t even keep all my things; I didn’t want to gift my problem to someone else. One thing I kept, a painting I had been working on, I moved into my new apartment. During the period when my dad passed, I was away from this house for about two weeks; I was in my family house. And when I got back, I realised that anytime I was on this couch, my temperature would start rising and I would have a headache. And I didn’t understand why. I was telling my siblings and my mom that I feel like there’s now mould in my present house. And I don’t know where it is. Like I was looking for it, but I don’t know where it is. At some point it got bad; like, within two weeks, I was just like, ‘What is going on?’ And I was searching; I was searching behind cupboards, behind my couch. I would search here. I would clean and clean until I looked at this painting. This painting was here. It was six by six feet. I looked at this painting that was on this wall. I stood up, lifted the painting from off the wall, and turned it around. If you see mould, God of mercy, behind the painting, it was bad. And in that moment, I was just like, no wonder I’ve been having a headache and my temperature would rise every time I’m just lying on this couch watching TV or reading a book or something, and in that moment, I threw out the painting.”
Across many Nigerian cities, a silent health crisis is growing within the walls of poorly maintained and structurally compromised homes.
Mould, often a green or black fungus that thrives in damp environments, is becoming a frequent companion in cracked, waterlogged, and poorly ventilated buildings, especially during the rainy season or after flooding. But beyond cosmetic concerns, experts warn that mould exposure can have grave consequences for occupants’ health.
Mould is a type of fungus that thrives in moist environments. Cracked walls, leaking roofs, damp ceilings, and flooding-prone areas provide the ideal conditions for its proliferation. When these spores become airborne, they are easily inhaled by occupants, leading to a variety of health issues.
According to a 2023 report by the Nigerian Environmental Society, over 62 per cent of households surveyed in urban slums across Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Onitsha showed visible signs of mould in at least one room, with 38 per cent reporting persistent respiratory symptoms among family members. The problem is particularly prevalent in areas with poor housing infrastructure and inadequate drainage.
The World Health Organisation notes that exposure to indoor dampness and mould increases the risk of respiratory symptoms by 30–50 per cent, particularly among children and individuals with pre-existing health conditions. Mould-related illnesses can range from nasal congestion and throat irritation to more severe conditions like asthma, chronic bronchitis, and fungal infections.
Children living in mould-infested homes are at higher risk of developing asthma. A 2022 study by the Nigerian Thoracic Society found a 44 per cent asthma prevalence among children aged 6–12 who were exposed to mould indoors, compared to 18 per cent in children living in dry, mould-free homes.
Despite these concerns, Nigeria lacks a national policy or building code standard addressing indoor air quality or mould remediation. Most landlords do not conduct preventive moisture inspections, and tenants have limited legal recourse when exposed to health hazards caused by mould.
According to Medical News Today, different types of moulds can grow in a person’s home.
It explained, “Mould can grow on walls, clothes, books, toys, and more. Mould can damage household items, and it may also cause health issues. Whether it is a cold, damp winter or a warm, humid summer, activities at home can result in moisture indoors and the appearance of mould in the house. This can affect a person’s health, including causing breathing problems, triggering allergies, and more.
“Moulds are a form of fungus. There are many different types, and they can occur both indoors and outdoors. Moulds produce spores, which spread by floating around in the air. Mould spores are present in all indoor environments. There is no way to completely prevent spores, and they can persist in conditions where mould itself cannot grow. Mould spores thrive in environments that are moist and warm. When they land on a damp spot, they begin to grow.
“Moulds can grow on a variety of different surfaces, including fabric, paper, wood, glass, and plastic. As they grow, they may digest the material they are growing on. Moulds take a variety of forms and textures. They can be white, black, yellow, blue, or green. They may look like discolouration or stains on a surface.
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