Senator Oluremi Tinubu Offers Cash, Period Pads to 100,000 Girls in Public Schools
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Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Tuesday ICT 13, 2026, announced that 100,000 pupils will each receive N20,000 under the first phase of a N2 billion Learners Retention Support Programme aimed at reducing school dropouts and improving attendance, particularly among girls.
The announcement was made during the national flag-off of 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. The event, held at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, marked the International Day of the Girl Child 2026.
The cash component forms part of the “Flow with Confidence 2.0” programme, implemented by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in partnership with the First Lady’s Renewed Hope Initiative. Each beneficiary will receive N20,000 to help overcome financial barriers that prevent regular school attendance, especially in rural communities where menstrual hygiene challenges and lack of basic materials contribute to absenteeism and dropouts.
Oluremi Tinubu said the intervention recognises practical obstacles faced by girls. “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 stated.
She encouraged the beneficiaries: “To our beloved girls across Nigeria, I encourage you to believe in your dreams, stay in school, work hard, and speak up when you need help. I want you to grow into confident and courageous women ready to contribute meaningfully to our nation.”
The programme expands on an earlier “Flow with Confidence” initiative launched in 2025 that provided a year’s supply of sanitary pads to 370,000 schoolgirls. UBEC has taken over and scaled the effort, integrating it with the World Bank-supported Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE). Officials said sanitary towel provisions will be included in UBEC’s annual budgets going forward. Beneficiaries will also receive school bags, shoes, exercise books, mathematical sets, and writing materials.
Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa described the move as translating commitments into action, while Minister of State for Education Prof Suwaiba Ahmad said it protects the dignity of the girl child and ensures menstruation does not interrupt education. UBEC Executive Secretary Aisha Garba noted that simple interventions like sanitary towels can unlock future opportunities for girls.
Other stakeholders present included governors’ wives, education commissioners, traditional rulers (with the Sultan of Sokoto represented by the Emir of Argungu), and representatives of the British High Commission. Speakers linked the initiative to broader goals of reducing out-of-school children, preventing early marriage, and improving educational outcomes for girls.
UBEC reported that it has constructed over 4,000 classrooms in less than three years, distributed learning materials to more than three million pupils, and returned over 700,000 out-of-school children to classrooms as part of wider efforts to strengthen basic education.
The distribution of materials and cash support is expected to be rolled out nationwide with calls for transparent implementation and community involvement.
