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Alfred Ajayi
Across Nigeria, millions of girls continue to face a harsh and often overlooked reality: menstruation remains a barrier to education, dignity, and health.
Period poverty, stigma, and inadequate access to basic sanitation products continue to force many young girls out of school every month, exposing deep inequalities in the country’s public health and education systems.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria disclosed this in a press statement released ahead of the 2026 Menstrual Health Day on Monday, May 25.
The event which AHF Nigeria will commemorate with a community-based intervention in Keffi, Nasarawa State, will apart from raising awareness also confront the structural neglect that continues to undermine menstrual health management in Nigeria.
The event holding at Victory Baptist School, Daddin Kowa, Keffi will bring together students from Flobam British Secondary School, Government Secondary School, and Government Junior Secondary School.
Nasarawa State Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Education, and the State Focal Person on Gender-Based Violence, civil society and health partners including APYIN, APIN, and NEPWHAN will also be in attendance.
The statement regrets that despite growing global attention, menstrual health challenges in Nigeria remain severe. “Many school-aged girls still lack access to sanitary products, clean water, and private sanitation facilities.
“In several communities, menstruation is still treated as a taboo subject, forcing girls into silence, shame, and repeated school absenteeism. These conditions not only affect education outcomes but also increase vulnerability to exploitation and poor health decisions.
According to Martin Matabishi, AHF Africa Bureau Chief, “Across Africa, too many women and girls still lack access to basic menstrual products and safe facilities, forcing them to miss school, risk their health, or turn to unsafe coping strategies,” said
“Menstrual health is not a luxury—it is a fundamental part of public health and HIV/STI prevention. Governments must remove taxes, invest in access, and break the silence around menstruation to protect health, dignity, and opportunity for all.
Dr. Echey Ijezie, AHF Nigeria Country Program Director (CPD) also noted, “Globally, nearly 2 billion people menstruate, with 500 million experiencing period poverty. These challenges can lead to reliance on transactional relationships or relationships with significant age differences, reducing the ability to negotiate safer sex and raising the risk of HIV and other STIs.
“AHF applauds countries that have reduced or eliminated taxes on menstrual products and urges others to follow suit to ensure access for all who need them.”
Although Menstrual Health Day is globally observed on May 28, AHF Nigeria is marking it earlier due to the national public holiday scheduled for that date.
At the event, a menstrual health expert will engage participants on safe menstrual hygiene practices and the importance of breaking harmful cultural silence around menstruation.
The programme will also actively engage boys and young men, encouraging them to become allies in challenging stigma and supporting gender equality in schools and communities.
The statement says 150 students are expected to benefit directly from the intervention, receiving a two-month supply of sanitary pads alongside other essential support materials aimed at improving menstrual hygiene management.
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