Girls, Parents Can Breathe Easier As FG Removes Tax On Sanitary Towels, Adopts Menstrual Health Policy

Girls and parents of female children can now heave a sigh of relief as the Federal Government has removed taxes on sanitary towels and unveiled the country’s first-ever National Policy on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management (MHHM).

 If fully implemented, the move could drastically reduce the financial and social burdens of menstruation on millions of Nigerian women and girls.

At a validation meeting held on Friday in Abuja, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described the policy as a milestone in ensuring that menstruation never again becomes a barrier to education, health, or dignity.

Represented by Dr. Maryam Keshinro, the minister said President Bola Tinubu’s approval of waivers on sanitary towels reflects his administration’s sensitivity to gender and public health concerns.

She explained that women between the ages of 15 and 49 make up nearly one-third of Nigeria’s population, meaning tens of millions of girls and women manage menstruation every month. 

Yet, too many face serious health and social challenges. “Alarmingly, 15 per cent of girls aged 15 to 19 are already mothers or pregnant, while 7.3 million adolescent girls and women suffer from undernutrition. 

More than half live with anaemia, conditions worsened by poor menstrual hygiene and lack of affordable sanitary products,” she said.

According to her, the new policy will help break the silence, eliminate stigma, and integrate menstrual health into Nigeria’s broader development agenda covering health, education, gender, water, and sanitation. 

By 2030, she added, no girl should have to choose between her education and her period.

The policy is expected to improve access to affordable sanitary products, strengthen water and sanitation infrastructure, provide accurate information, and challenge harmful cultural taboos that often force girls out of classrooms or women out of workplaces.

Development partners who supported the process welcomed the milestone. Acting Country Representative of Population Services International (PSI) Nigeria, Fifi Ogbondeminu, said through its “Menstrual Health No Wahala” programme, PSI has already been working to provide low-cost products, age-appropriate education, and stigma-free environments. “Menstrual health is a human rights and gender equality issue. No girl should drop out of school or feel shame because of her period,” she said.

Similarly, WaterAid Nigeria Country Director, Evelyn Mere, noted that the policy signals Nigeria’s commitment to human rights, dignity, and empowerment. Represented by Policy and Advocacy Manager, Dr. Theodora Ngozika-Igboaneka, she said communities that address menstrual health see real change: girls stay in school, women fully participate in workplaces, and stigma gives way to practical support.

Consultant on the policy development, Mabel Adinya-Ade, stressed that the framework will provide a comprehensive guide to safe and affordable menstruation for vulnerable women and girls nationwide.

The policy’s success, stakeholders agreed, will depend on strong collaboration between government, development partners, communities, and schools, to ensure that menstruation is managed with dignity not shame or hardship.