FG adopts first menstrual health policy, scraps tax on sanitary towels

The Federal Government has validated and adopted Nigeria’s first National Policy on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management (MHHM), aimed at addressing the challenges faced by women and girls in managing menstruation.

Speaking at the validation meeting on Friday in Abuja, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described the policy as a milestone in ensuring menstruation does not hinder the education, health, or opportunities of women and girls.

Represented by Dr Maryam Keshinro, the minister commended President Bola Tinubu for recently approving tax waivers on sanitary towels, noting it reflects his commitment to gender and public health issues.

She highlighted that women aged 15 to 49 make up nearly 30% of Nigeria’s population, yet many face barriers such as high costs of sanitary products, poor water and sanitation facilities, and persistent cultural taboos.

“Menstrual health is not just a women’s issue; it’s a family, community, and national development issue,” she said, warning that poor menstrual hygiene can worsen conditions such as anaemia, which affects over half of Nigerian women.

The policy, she explained, seeks to eliminate stigma, improve access to affordable products, strengthen WASH infrastructure, and integrate menstrual health into education and gender equality programmes.

Its vision for 2030 is that no girl should have to choose between managing her period and going to school.

Development partners, including Population Services International (PSI) and WaterAid Nigeria, praised the move. PSI’s Acting Country Representative, Mrs Fifi Ogbondeminu, said menstrual health is a “human rights, gender equality, and development issue,” stressing the need for affordable products nationwide.

WaterAid Nigeria Country Director, Evelyn Mere, described the policy as “a powerful signal of commitment to the dignity and empowerment of girls and women,” noting that addressing menstrual health boosts school attendance, workplace participation, and community support.

Mrs Mabel Adinya-Ade, consultant on the policy’s development, said it provides a framework to improve safe menstruation for vulnerable women and girls across the country.