When Olatimehin Esther secured admission to Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, in 2021, she was not only navigating a new academic environment but also facing a daunting personal challenge.
Away from her mother’s guidance for the first time, Esther struggled to maintain the menstrual hygiene habits her mother had instilled in her as the poor water facilities at her school hostel made it difficult for her to manage her period.
“I had issues with water to wash as scarcity of water was high. Particles of blood did take over our hostel toilet during students’ menstrual cycle because we couldn’t flush the bathroom well. Also, many year one students threw menstrual pads in the water closet, which blocked the pipe,” she said.
By the time she got to 200-level, she had learned the habit of wrapping her used pads and throwing them in waste baskets. One day, a passer-by kicked the basket containing used sanitary pads, spilling its contents all over the veranda.
“It was irritating to see people walking by, indifferent to the mess,” Esther told Campus Reporter.
Following the disappointment, some students have resorted to storing used sanitary pads in their bags or rooms, only to dispose of them when they return home at the end of each semester. Others took a more clandestine approach, discarding their used pads over the hostel fence into nearby bushes, where they would remain hidden from view.
Hidden struggle
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), lack of appropriate facilities such as gender-segregated improved toilet facilities, adequate safe water supply in schools for washing hands and soiled clothes, facility for drying of clothes, and absence of sanitary menstrual materials can prevent girls from safely managing their menstruation hygienically, which can lead to various diseases.

Also, the Water Sanitation and Hygiene National Outcome Routine Map of 2021 by UNICEF says only eight percent of Nigerian schools have girls’ toilet compartments with provisions for menstrual hygiene management. Similarly, access to pads is another issue students must cope with, as the prices of sanitary products range from N800 to N2,000, making sanitary pads a luxury for some undergraduates.
Salimon Sukurah, a student of Zoology at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) in Kwara State, explained that when she couldn’t have access to wash facilities on campus, she often rushed back home.
“There were times I had to be absent from classes because I usually experienced discomfort which hindered my ability to focus on my studies during menstruation,” she said.
At Usman Danfodio University Sokoto (UDUS) in Sokoto, Aisha Sulaiman, a 300-level student of Linguistics, says water is insufficient for ladies in school to maintain menstrual hygiene. “Many times I bathe once instead of twice while on my period because of insufficient water.”
Corroborating Aisha’s experience, another 300-level student of the Agriculture Department at the same school, Arua Blessing, acknowledged that UDUS wash facilities are inadequate for menstrual hygiene. “The menstrual hygiene in our school is not good to talk about. I usually buy sachet water to wash my private parts, then change my pad and pants during school hours.”
The situation is no different at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA) in Ondo State, where Josephine Adetula, a Mass Communication student, attends. She added that there are times when there won’t be water at the hostel for washing, and different pads will be left in the toilets.
Elizabeth Talatu, the Executive Director of Sustainable Impact and Development Initiative, which focuses on youth empowerment and sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), explained that the effects of poor menstrual hygiene include risks for reproductive and urinary tract infections, which can result in infertility and birth complications.
“There are several causes of menstrual hygiene issues in tertiary institutions. These include poor access to sanitary products, lack of adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities, cultural taboos surrounding menstruation, and insufficient menstrual health education. There are also inadequate disposal facilities for menstrual waste.
“Our institutions are expected to provide clean, private toilets with running water, soap, sanitary bins with lids, and access to affordable sanitary pads should be made readily available, especially in female hostels and restrooms,” she explained.
Groups weigh in
Clarion Oyeronke, the founder of Teens Arise Initiative, an organization that helps to address and provide for students’ menstrual hygiene needs, said her non-governmental group provides coping mechanisms to students through menstrual hygiene management.
“We provide sanitary pads to young girls, particularly those who cannot afford hygiene products. The biggest challenge we faced was the lack of sufficient support, both in terms of volunteers and financial resources. In addition, overcoming cultural stigma surrounding menstruation requires ongoing advocacy as over 1,000 students have benefited from us,” said Oyeronke.
Josephine Adetula, a member of Sanitary Aid Initiative, an organization that addresses students’ menstrual hygiene needs, explained how they provide solutions for students’ menstrual hygiene.
“We conducted training and practical sessions for students with our programs that focus on teaching female students how to maintain menstrual hygiene, including how to fix and reuse pads. This includes instruction on how to wear, fix, and maintain pads. The initiative has benefited over 500 students as we distribute free pads to them,” Adetula explained.
The experts, however, charged tertiary institutions to prioritize proper waste disposal systems and promote gender-sensitive policies to create a supportive environment for female students.
This story was funded by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) through its Empower Women in Media Cohort Project.
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