The Federal Government, in collaboration with Pads for Her Initiative, has intensified efforts to tackle period poverty in Nigeria through a high-level National Policy Roundtable on menstrual health and sustainable development.
The event, held on October 31, 2025, at the Federal Ministry of Youth Development headquarters in Abuja, brought together key stakeholders from government ministries, development partners, and civil society groups to push menstrual health from advocacy to concrete policy action.
Representatives from several ministries, departments, and agencies attended the dialogue, including the Federal Ministries of Health and Social Welfare; Education; Women Affairs; Industry, Trade and Investment; and Water Resources and Sanitation.
Others present were the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA).
Declaring the roundtable open, the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayo Wisdom Olawande—represented by his Senior Technical Adviser, Dr. Obinna Ebirin—reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to promoting youth health and gender equity.
The Director of Youth Health and Psychosocial Department, Mr. Emmanuel Essien, also assured participants of the ministry’s readiness to collaborate with partners in implementing menstrual health programmes nationwide.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. John Ajiwohwodoma Ovuoraye, Director and Head of Gender, Adolescent, School Health, and Elderly Division at the Federal Ministry of Health, said the forum was timely, following Nigeria’s recent validation of the National Menstrual Health Policy.
Participants outlined strategies to make menstrual products affordable and accessible, including the removal of VAT on sanitary pads, reduction of import taxes on raw materials, promotion of local manufacturing, and strengthening of WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) infrastructure.
Other proposals included leveraging NOA’s network of field officers for menstrual hygiene sensitisation, expanding youth engagement, and improving inter-ministerial coordination for policy implementation.
The Ministry of Youth Development pledged to sustain coordination among partners and ensure accountability in advancing menstrual health outcomes.
Speaking after the session, the Founder of Pads for Her Initiative, Amarachi Blessing Ojimmah, described the dialogue as a major step toward menstrual justice in Nigeria.
“Our goal is to move beyond advocacy and ensure menstrual health is recognized as a development, policy, and human rights priority,” she said.
Pads for Her Initiative is currently leading a regional campaign to raise 144,000 sanitary pads for 12,000 women and girls across Nigeria as part of its drive to promote menstrual equity and dignity.