The Federal Government has revealed that 15 percent of girls aged 15 to 19 in Nigeria are already mothers or pregnant.
Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, minister of women affairs and social development, disclosed this on Tuesday during the validation and adoption of Nigeria’s first National Policy on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management (MHHM).
Represented by Maryam Keshinro, permanent secretary in the ministry, the minister also said more than 7.3 million adolescent girls and women in Nigeria suffer from undernutrition, with 55 percent of them affected by anaemia.
She attributed the condition partly to poor menstrual hygiene and lack of access to affordable sanitary products.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim described the new policy as a milestone, noting that menstruation “is a normal biological process that should never be a source of shame, stigma, or economic hardship.”
She commended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to approve waivers on sanitary towels, saying it reflected his sensitivity to gender and public health concerns.
“Women aged 15 to 49 constitute about 25 to 30 percent of Nigeria’s population. It is therefore critical to ensure that menstruation does not hinder the rights, opportunities, or wellbeing of any woman or girl,” she said.
Also speaking at the event, Fifi Ogbondeminu, acting country representative of Population Services International (PSI) in Nigeria, said menstrual health should be treated as a human rights, gender equality and development issue.
Ogbondeminu, represented by Abdulhameed Adediran, PSI’s team lead for menstrual health initiatives, said the policy marks “a milestone towards ensuring that menstruation is no longer a silent burden but an issue addressed with dignity, empathy, and urgency.”