A development expert Oreoluwa Adigun says the inability to afford or access basic menstrual hygiene products is an urgent issue affecting millions of Nigerian young girls, adding that there is an urgent need to guarantee subsidised access to these products considering the prevailing economic situation.
He said a 2023 report shows that approximately 37 million Nigerian young girls and women suffer from period poverty, as they are unable to consistently afford essential items like sanitary pads, tampons, and even basic medication to ease menstrual discomfort.
“The rising cost of these necessities is making a difficult situation even worse. In 2019, a pack of sanitary pads cost between 300 and 400 naira; today, that same pack costs around 1,500 naira. This steep price increase forces many young girls and women to resort to unhygienic alternatives like old clothes or tissue paper, thereby increasing their risk of infections and other health complications.
“This situation is particularly detrimental for young girls, as they may miss school during their menstrual periods due to a lack of proper hygiene products, which can lead to setbacks in their education and negatively impact their academic progress.
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For these girls, period poverty is more than a financial burden—it is a barrier to educational and personal development,” he lamented
He further advocated the need for the government to guarantee these products either free or at subsidised rates for young Nigerian girls and women.
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