Nigeria Launches Initiatives for Menstrual Health Dignity

The Federal Government of Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to ending period poverty and dismantling menstrual stigma by launching initiatives aimed at ensuring every Nigerian girl has access to menstrual health education and sanitary products. This was announced during an event at the Federal Government Girls College Bwari, Abuja, commemorating World Menstrual Health Hygiene Day on May 28, 2026.

Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, delivered a keynote address emphasizing the importance of menstrual health as a public health and human rights issue. She noted that approximately 1.8 billion girls and women globally menstruate, with 20 million girls under 18 in Nigeria facing challenges such as stigma and inadequate sanitary facilities.

The government aims to implement a national policy for menstrual health management, establish pad banks in schools, and create a supportive learning environment to prevent interruptions in education due to menstruation.