Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has launched the nationwide distribution of two million packs of sanitary towels to girls in public basic education schools, alongside a ₦2 billion support programme aimed at helping vulnerable pupils remain in school.

The initiatives are designed to address financial and menstrual hygiene barriers that prevent children, particularly girls in rural communities, from attending classes consistently.

Mrs Tinubu announced the programmes on Monday at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja as part of activities marking the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child.

The sanitary towel distribution, known as Flow with Confidence 2.0, is being implemented by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

The First Lady said no girl should be forced to miss school because her family could not afford sanitary products or other essential learning materials.

“Keeping our girls in school requires us to recognise and address the challenges that affect their education, especially those in rural communities, who often miss school because they do not have access to sanitary products,” she said.

The ₦2 billion Learners’ Retention Support Programme will target 100,000 learners in its first phase, with each beneficiary expected to receive ₦20,000 to help ease financial difficulties affecting school attendance and retention.

Mrs Tinubu said the interventions would build on previous efforts to improve access to education and ensure that girls could learn with confidence and dignity.

The first phase of the sanitary pad initiative was launched by her Renewed Hope Initiative on October 2, 2025. It provided a one-year supply of disposable sanitary pads to 370,000 schoolgirls in rural communities across the country.

She commended UBEC for taking over and expanding the programme, urging state first ladies, commissioners for education and chairmen of state universal basic education boards to ensure that the materials reach the intended beneficiaries transparently.

The First Lady also called on traditional rulers, religious leaders and community stakeholders to challenge the stigma surrounding menstruation and encourage families to support girls’ education.

FG moves to sustain menstrual hygiene programme

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, said the Federal Government was taking steps to make menstrual hygiene support a permanent component of basic education interventions.

Alausa said UBEC would make provisions for sanitary towels in its annual budgets, while the World Bank-supported Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment programme would sustain the intervention throughout the life of the project.

He said the government was translating its earlier commitment into a structured programme that could reach more schoolgirls nationwide.

The minister added that the initial target of reaching 370,000 adolescent girls under the first phase had been achieved.

UBEC is expected to distribute the two million packs alongside school bags, shoes, exercise books, mathematical sets and other writing materials to girls in public basic education schools across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The expanded initiative places menstrual hygiene and access to essential school supplies at the centre of efforts to improve attendance and reduce the risk of girls dropping out of school.

Its long-term impact will depend on consistent funding, transparent distribution and whether the supplies reach the girls and communities facing the greatest barriers to education.

The government’s decision to incorporate sanitary towel provision into UBEC’s annual budgets is intended to move the intervention beyond a one-off exercise towards sustained support for girls’ education.