By Danhassan Abubakar
Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has launched the National Flow with Confidence initiative with the donation of 370,000 disposable sanitary pads to schoolgirls across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The programme, held at the Government House in Bauchi, was themed “Empowering Schoolgirls through Menstrual Health” and is being implemented under the Renewed Hope Initiative. The intervention aims to support adolescent girls, particularly those in rural communities, to manage their menstrual health with dignity and remain consistently in school.
Speaking during the distribution ceremony, the Bauchi State First Lady and North-East Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Dr. Aisha Bala Mohammed, explained that the programme is being carried out nationwide to ensure that no girl misses school because of her menstrual cycle. She disclosed that at the end of the exercise, 370,000 schoolgirls in rural communities across the country would receive a one-year supply of disposable sanitary pads.
Dr. Aisha further revealed that the Renewed Hope Initiative expended N2.55 billion for the procurement of the customised sanitary pads from Uniglory Nigeria Limited, a local manufacturing company based in Ikorodu, Lagos State. According to her, each state received 10,000 sanitary pads for onward distribution to schoolgirls, describing the intervention as a strategic investment in the education and wellbeing of the girl-child.
In her remarks, Hajiya Zuwaira Y.M. Baba, Gender Desk Officer at the Bauchi State Ministry of Health, highlighted the importance of menstrual hygiene management. She explained that menstruation typically occurs every 22 to 32 days and stressed the need for proper hygiene practices. She commended the First Lady for the initiative and urged teachers to guide students on the proper and judicious use of the sanitary pads.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Bauchi State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Muhammad Lawan Rimin Zayam, said the initiative aligns with the government’s commitment to ensuring that no girl is denied education due to natural biological processes. He noted that empowering girls through menstrual health support would enhance school attendance, improve academic performance, and contribute to the overall development of the state.
Dr. Rimin Zayam added that the programme marks the beginning of sustained menstrual health awareness campaigns, improved school participation, and strengthened partnerships aimed at advancing girl-child education in Bauchi State. He emphasized that menstrual health challenges are not merely personal issues but have direct implications for the education sector as a whole.
