First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has launched the distribution of two million packs of sanitary towels and back-to-school learning materials to girls in public basic education schools across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The initiative, tagged “Flow with Confidence 2.0: Keeping Every Girl in School,” also includes a ₦2 billion scholarship intervention targeting 100,000 learners in its first phase under the Universal Basic Education Commission’s (UBEC) Learners Retention Support Programme.
The national flag-off ceremony took place on Monday, October 12, 2026, at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, as part of activities marking the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Aisha Garba, said the initiative was designed to address barriers preventing girls, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, from attending school regularly and participating fully in learning.
She stressed that no girl should be forced to miss school because she could not afford sanitary products, noting that menstrual hygiene challenges and financial hardship could undermine school attendance, retention and academic performance.
“Our message is clear: no girl child should have to choose between her dignity and her education,” Garba said.
She explained that the programme went beyond distributing sanitary towels and school materials, describing it as an investment in the confidence, educational attainment and future prospects of Nigerian girls.
Under the initiative, beneficiaries will receive sanitary towels and back-to-school materials, including school bags, shoes, exercise books, mathematics textbooks and writing materials.
Garba also disclosed that the scholarship intervention would provide ₦20,000 each to 100,000 learners in its first phase, amounting to a total allocation of ₦2 billion, to help address financial constraints affecting school attendance and retention.
She called on state governments, State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), traditional rulers, religious leaders, parents, teachers and development partners to ensure transparent and accountable implementation of the programme.
The UBEC chief commended the First Lady, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, for their commitment to advancing girls’ education.
She recalled that Tinubu launched the original Flow with Confidence programme on October 2, 2025, providing a one-year supply of disposable sanitary pads to 370,000 schoolgirls in rural communities nationwide.
According to her, the expansion of the programme would enable more girls to access essential menstrual hygiene products and educational materials, strengthening efforts to keep them in school.
Garba further disclosed that UBEC had facilitated the construction of more than 4,000 classrooms nationwide in less than three years, alongside the provision of water and sanitation facilities, learning materials, teacher development and digital technology in public schools.
She added that more than three million pupils benefited from back-to-school materials in the preceding year, while interventions by UBEC and relevant agencies had helped return approximately 700,000 out-of-school children to classrooms.
In her address, the First Lady commended UBEC for expanding the initiative to reach more schoolgirls and provide practical support to families.
Tinubu said keeping girls in school required deliberate efforts to address the challenges affecting their education, particularly in rural communities where limited access to sanitary products could contribute to absenteeism.
She reaffirmed her commitment to ensuring that Nigerian girls could pursue their education with dignity and confidence, while urging state first ladies, commissioners of education and SUBEB chairmen to ensure that the interventions reached the intended beneficiaries.
The First Lady also appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders and community stakeholders to help eliminate the stigma surrounding menstruation.
Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, described the initiative as another step towards securing the education and future of Nigerian girls.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for prioritising the Nigerian child in the administration’s development agenda, noting that ongoing education reforms were aimed at widening access to learning and addressing barriers preventing children, particularly girls, from completing their education.
Alausa urged students to take advantage of government interventions, remain committed to their studies and prepare to contribute meaningfully to national development.
Similarly, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, said the programme demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting the dignity of the girl child, promoting menstrual health and hygiene, and removing barriers to school attendance.
She encouraged girls to remain focused on their education, work hard and believe in their ability to achieve their aspirations.
Garba assured parents, learners and other stakeholders that UBEC would sustain collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, state governments, SUBEBs and development partners to improve enrolment, attendance and retention, particularly among vulnerable learners.
Addressing the beneficiaries, she said: “To our beautiful daughters, your dreams matter, your voices matter, and your future deserves every opportunity we can give you.”
She reiterated that the Commission would continue working to ensure that no Nigerian girl was denied an education because of poverty, menstrual hygiene challenges or other preventable barriers.
