Changing The Narrative Around Menstruation In Nigeria

Magdalene Ukuedojor
Jul, Sat, 2025

Features

Changing the Narrative around Menstruation in Nigeria

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By Abiemwense Moru, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

When Rahab Micheal had her first menstrual cycle, as a Junior Secondary School student in Abuja, she told no one.

Silently, she endured the cramps, discomfort and confusion, until her stained school uniform forced her to run home in tears.

It was only then that her mother explained what menstruation meant.

Her experience reflects a common reality for many girls in Nigeria, a reality that is beginning to shift.

At a recent meeting in Abuja involving school principals, government officials and representatives of civil society organisations, stakeholders agreed on an audacious goal.

It is to make Nigeria a period-friendly nation where menstruation no longer hinders girls’ education, dignity or well-being.

Central to this effort is the Always Keeping Girls In School (AKGIS) initiative.

The programme seeks to break menstrual stigma, expand access to sanitary materials, and ensure no girl is left behind because of her period.

For years, menstruation has quietly disrupted girls’ education.

According to baseline research presented by the Tabitha Cumi Foundation (TCF) at the AKGIS dissemination meeting, over 140 girls were surveyed.

The findings revealed limited menstrual education, poor access to sanitary products, and a lack of safe hygiene facilities in schools.

Many were forced to use unsafe alternatives such as rags and tissue paper. Some missed school for up to a week every month.

Across Nigeria, the picture is similar.

A 2022 report by UNICEF and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs estimated that 1 in 10 Nigerian schoolgirls miss school during their periods due to period poverty and poor sanitation.

Meanwhile, research by WaterAid Nigeria found that only 16 per cent of schools in the country have basic gender-sensitive sanitation facilities, including private changing rooms and access to clean water.

“We discovered that harmful cultural taboos, low awareness of gender-based violence, and poor sanitation conditions made menstruation a monthly ordeal,” said Mrs Nendirmwa Ohah, Programme Manager at TCF.

“This is not just a hygiene issue, it is a human rights issue”.

What sets AKGIS apart, she added, is not only the distribution of sanitary pads, but also the empowerment it brings to marginalised girls.

Funded by CAF America and implemented by Tabitha Cumi Foundation in Abuja, Lagos, and Benue States, the initiative targets 1,600 schoolgirls with accurate menstrual health information, hygiene kits, and peer support through school-based clubs.

“Menstruation is not a disease,” said the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim.

“No girl should have to choose between her education and her period”.

She called for policy reforms that support, rather than stigmatise, menstruating girls.

It is worthy to note that the involvement of the ministry, alongside the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), signals a shift in national priorities.

This, however, places menstrual health firmly on the development agenda.

Dr Safiya Tamanuwa of UBEC explained that before AKGIS, many school principals, especially men, lacked the knowledge to support menstruating girls.

“This project has opened their eyes,” she said.

One such principal, Mr Abdurazaq Ademola of the Abuja School of the Deaf, revealed how students previously relied on rags during their periods.

“Now, they have access to pads and knowledge. Even our girls with special needs feel empowered,” he said.

Similarly, the Principal of Junior Secondary School, Area 11, Hajiya Gold Fatima, noted a dramatic shift in behaviour.

“Our girls used to miss school during their periods. Now, they seek help and remain in class,” she said.

To mark Menstrual Hygiene Day 2025, themed “Together for a Period-Friendly World,” other organisations also joined the advocacy.

Rotary District 9127, for instance, distributed reusable sanitary pads to nearly 90 girls in Wuse, Abuja, as part of efforts to promote menstrual dignity.

“Menstruation is still seen as dirty or shameful,” said Ms Frances Bekey, Chairperson of Rotary’s Empowering the Girl-Child Initiative.

“We’re changing that narrative by equipping girls with the knowledge and tools to manage their periods with confidence”.

The campaign also promotes sustainable practices, such as eco-friendly reusable pads and the establishment of hygiene facilities, including toilets and wash stations in schools.

In Lagos, UNICEF and the Nigeria Girls’ Guild collaborated to mark the day with hundreds of girls.

Discussions extended beyond menstruation to include sexual health education and promotion of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

“When a girl begins her period, it should be celebrated,” said Mrs Aderonke Akinwole, UNICEF’s Social and Behavioural Change Specialist.

“It shows her body is functioning well, it is a sign of life, not something to hide”.

She advocated a cultural shift that replaces shame with pride.

Corroborating this, many say educating boys, not just girls, is also crucial to changing societal perceptions.

“We must teach boys to respect girls, much of the stigma comes from ignorance. That must end,” said Mrs Honfor Adesola, Director of Education in Lagos.

At the FCT Administration’s event, Mandate Secretary of Women Affairs, Dr Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, called for empathy and support.

“When you see a girl with a menstrual stain, help her, don’t laugh or mock. Be the reason she stays in school,” she urged.

Beyond dignity, menstrual health carries serious medical implications.

Dr Gladys Ohiomoba, a gynaecologist at Federal Medical Centre, Lagos, warned that unsafe practices could result in infections, infertility and long-term reproductive issues.

“Girls must be taught to use clean water, bathe regularly, and avoid scented washes or harmful substances. The vagina is self-cleaning,” she explained.

She also emphasised the importance of having separate towels and improved hygiene practices, especially in rural communities.

Indeed, the drive toward a period-friendly Nigeria requires a multi-sectoral approach, encompassing education, health, infrastructure, and policy reforms.

However, the challenge remains enormous.

An estimated 37 million girls and women of reproductive age in Nigeria are affected by period poverty, according to a 2023 estimate by the Menstrual Hygiene Day coalition.

For many, purchasing sanitary pads remain a luxury due to high costs, limited availability, and lack of awareness.

Miss Ethagah Divine, Head Girl of New Estate Baptist Secondary School in Surulere, Lagos, said: “We need more pads and more voices.

“NGOs, please come to our schools. We can’t do this alone”.

Her classmate, Emmanuella Azubuike, added: “This programme has changed how I see my body. It made me proud.”

Stakeholders and health experts say a period-friendly Nigeria is not just an ideal, it is a necessity.

They recommend clean toilets in every school, access to sanitary products, teacher training, and menstrual education for both girls and boys.

Menstrual hygiene, they stress, is about dignity and freedom, and that freedom begins when girls can bleed without shame.

As Menstrual Hygiene Day ends, they call for continued action from communities, schools, policymakers, and the private sector to ensure no girl is left behind. (NANFeatures)

***If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria.

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