The Federal Government and stakeholders have validated and adopted Nigeria’s first-ever National Policy on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management (MHHM) to address challenges affecting women and girls.
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Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described the policy as a step towards ensuring that menstruation does not limit any woman or girl-child. She spoke during the validation meeting on Friday in Abuja.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim, represented by Dr Maryam Keshinro, noted that President Bola Tinubu’s recent waiver on sanitary towels demonstrated his deep sensitivity to gender and public health issues.
She explained that women aged 15 to 49 constitute about 25 to 30 per cent of Nigeria’s population, meaning tens of millions manage menstruation monthly.
“Alarmingly, 15 per cent of girls aged 15 to 19 are already mothers or pregnant, while over 7.3 million adolescent girls and women suffer from undernutrition.
“With 55 per cent affected by anaemia, these conditions can be worsened by poor menstrual hygiene and lack of affordable sanitary products,” she said.
According to her, these realities underscore the urgency of validating the national policy, stressing that menstrual health is not just a women’s issue but a family, community, and national development issue.
“Every month, from bustling cities like Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano to remote villages in Borno, Benue, Cross River, and Sokoto, as well as IDP camps in Maiduguri, Zamfara, and Adamawa, millions of women and girls experience menstruation.
“It is a normal biological process that should never be a source of shame, stigma, or economic hardship,” she said.
The minister identified inadequate access to sanitary products, poor WASH infrastructure, lack of accurate information, and persistent cultural taboos as factors contributing to exclusion, school absenteeism, and preventable health challenges.
She said the policy will address these issues by breaking the silence, eliminating stigma, and embedding MHHM into the national development agenda across health, education, water, sanitation, and gender sectors.
According to her, the policy envisions that by 2030 no girl in Nigeria should have to choose between managing her menstruation and pursuing her education.
“No woman should be hindered in her personal or professional development because of menstruation, and no community should sustain stigma or exclusion linked to it.
“Implementation will require strong collaboration across sectors, political will, and active participation from states, communities, and development partners,” she said.
The minister appreciated partners, particularly Population Services International (PSI) and WaterAid Nigeria, for supporting efforts to address menstrual health and hygiene challenges.
Acting Country Representative of PSI Nigeria, Mrs Fifi Ogbondeminu, described the policy adoption as a milestone towards ensuring menstruation is no longer a silent burden but an issue addressed with dignity, empathy, and urgency.
Ogbondeminu, represented by Abdulhameed Adediran, Team Lead for Menstrual Health Initiatives at PSI Nigeria, said menstrual health is a human rights, gender equality, and development issue.
She explained that through PSI’s Menstrual Health No Wahala (MH-NoW) programme, the organisation has provided women and girls with affordable menstrual products, age-appropriate education, and enabling environments that break stigma.
She emphasised the importance of ensuring the availability of low-cost menstrual products in both rural and urban areas, integrating menstrual health into school and community programmes, and empowering girls to remain in education without shame or interruption.
Also, Evelyn Mere, Country Director of WaterAid Nigeria, said the policy would improve access to essential infrastructure, including clean water, sanitation facilities, waste disposal systems, and hygiene education.
Mere, represented by Dr Theodora Ngozika-Igboaneka, Policy and Advocacy Manager, described the policy as a powerful signal of commitment to human rights, health, dignity, and the empowerment of girls and women across the country.
“At WaterAid Nigeria, we have seen firsthand what changes when communities address menstrual health properly — schools where girls no longer miss classes, workplaces where women participate fully, and communities where the silence and shame around menstruation give way to open, practical support,” she said.
Mrs Mabel Adinya-Ade, Consultant on the Development of the National Policy on MHHM, stressed that the policy’s objective is to provide a comprehensive framework to ensure safe menstruation for vulnerable women and girls.
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