By Debby Olaoye, JKNewsMedia Reporter
THREE REGULATORY agencies comprising the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) have been urged to conduct nationwide safety tests on disposable sanitary pads following concerns raised over potentially harmful chemicals detected in products sold in Nigeria.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the call came in a joint administrative petition filed by The She Mission Initiative (SMI) on September 28, 2026, asking the three regulatory agencies to carry out an immediate post market audit and comprehensive laboratory testing of locally manufactured and imported sanitary pads.
Executive Director of the organisation, Pearllie Orji, said the petition formally placed the regulators on notice over findings contained in a 2024 scientific study on volatile organic compounds in disposable sanitary pads.
The petition cited the study, titled “Risk Assessment of Volatile Organic Compounds in Disposable Sanitary Pads in Nigeria”, which was published in the Bayero Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences.
Researchers from the Faculty of Sciences of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), in collaboration with the Nigerian Air Force Academy (NAFA), examined 65 samples of disposable sanitary pads from popular brands sold across Nigeria.
The SMI said the researchers identified up to 34 volatile organic compounds, with about 17 specific compounds confirmed across 16 major brands.
It further said compounds including 1,2 dichloropropane were detected, adding that the reported findings raised concerns about possible skin irritation, hormonal disruption and other long term health implications.
The organisation noted that sanitary pads have direct and prolonged contact with the skin around the vulva but acknowledged that the findings require verification by the relevant regulatory authorities.
It therefore asked NAFDAC, SON and FCCPC to independently investigate the study through nationwide sampling and laboratory analysis before taking regulatory action against any product found to be non compliant.
The group specifically requested immediate market sampling and testing of all major local and imported sanitary pad brands sold in Nigeria.
It also asked the regulators to publish details of the current safety limits applicable to chemical substances in sanitary pads and provide public reassurance on the safety of menstrual hygiene products available in the country.
The organisation further called for the suspension, recall and confiscation of any sanitary pad brand found through regulatory testing to have exceeded applicable international safety thresholds for toxic chemical residues.
It also requested mandatory laboratory screening for volatile organic compounds, phthalates and heavy metals as a prerequisite for the registration and clearance of menstrual hygiene products.
In separate Freedom of Information requests to NAFDAC and SON, the organisation sought regulatory and laboratory records concerning sanitary pads.
Its request to NAFDAC sought certified copies of the agency’s current regulatory framework and maximum residue limits or acceptable safety thresholds for volatile organic compounds, phthalates, dioxins and heavy metals in disposable sanitary pads.
It also requested NAFDAC’s post market surveillance reports, laboratory safety audits and quality testing records for registered sanitary pad brands from January 2024 to date.
The organisation further asked NAFDAC to provide a list of all sanitary pad brands currently holding valid registration numbers in Nigeria.
Its FOI request to SON sought certified copies of the current Nigerian Industrial Standards applicable to sanitary pads and the approved maximum permissible limits for chemical residues and heavy metals in absorbent hygiene products.
The organisation also requested SON’s conformity assessment reports, including MANCAP records for locally manufactured products and SONCAP documentation for imported sanitary pads.
The group invoked Sections 1, 2 and 4 of the Freedom of Information Act 2011 and asked the agencies to provide the requested information within seven working days of receiving the demands.
It said any refusal to provide the requested information should be accompanied by written reasons and the legal justification for such refusal as required by the FOI Act.
JKNewsMedia.com also report that the organisation said the petitions were intended to compel the regulatory authorities to independently verify the claims contained in the 2024 study and establish whether sanitary pads currently circulating in the Nigerian market comply with applicable safety standards.
NAFDAC has said sanitary pads are classified as Class I medical devices and are subject to regulatory requirements covering registration, laboratory evaluation, manufacturing processes and post market surveillance.
The agency also said it is reviewing international regulatory practices on volatile organic compounds in menstrual products and could introduce additional measures if supported by scientific evidence and risk assessment.
NAFDAC reiterated that its priority is to protect public health and assured consumers that concerns involving menstrual health products would be assessed through scientific evidence, laboratory testing and regulatory investigation.
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