|By Chinwendu Nwani
The Federal Ministry of Youth Development and Pads for Her Initiative have joined forces to accelerate Nigeria’s fight against period poverty through a National Policy Roundtable on Health, Education, and Sustainable Development held in Abuja on October 31, 2025.
The high-level dialogue gathered representatives from key ministries, civil society, and the private sector to transform menstrual health advocacy into actionable policy. Senior officials from the Ministries of Health, Education, Women Affairs, Industry, Trade and Investment, and Water Resources and Sanitation actively engaged in discussions, alongside agencies such as the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA).
Representing the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayo Wisdom Olawande, Senior Technical Advisor 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, pledged sustained collaboration to scale menstrual health initiatives nationwide.
Delivering the keynote, Dr. John Ajiwohwodoma Ovuoraye of the Federal Ministry of Health urged for a unified national approach to menstrual health, emphasizing policy integration and inclusivity.
Discussions at the roundtable produced bold recommendations, including removing VAT on sanitary products, promoting local manufacturing, reducing taxes on raw materials, and strengthening WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) facilities. Stakeholders also proposed leveraging NOA’s field officers for nationwide sensitization and expanding youth involvement across the menstrual health value chain.
At the close of the meeting, participants committed to concrete actions to advance menstrual equity. The Federal Ministry of Youth Development vowed to ensure accountability, coordination, and measurable results across all implementing partners.
Speaking after the session, Amarachi Blessing Ojimmah, Founder of Pads for Her Initiative, described the dialogue as “a major milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward menstrual justice,” stressing the need to elevate menstrual health as a human rights and development priority.
Pads for Her Initiative continues to push for menstrual dignity through advocacy, policy engagement, and community outreach, with its ongoing campaign to distribute 144,000 pads to 12,000 women and girls across Nigeria.
