Sanitary Pad Safety Scare: Kingibe Calls On NAFDAC, SON To Investigate VOC Claims

Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, Ireti Kingibe, has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and other relevant regulatory authorities to investigate reports alleging the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in disposable sanitary pads sold in Nigeria.

Kingibe made the call in response to concerns raised publicly by Nigerian doctor Aniekwe Donald, who questioned whether regulatory authorities had adequately examined findings from scientific research on the chemical composition of sanitary pads.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Aniekwe alleged in a video shared online that scientists from the Nigerian Defence Academy and the Air Force Institute of Technology had detected VOCs in sanitary pads following chemical analysis. He called on the relevant agencies to examine the findings and provide Nigerians with clearer information about the substances contained in the products.

A 2024 peer-reviewed study published in the Bayero Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences also examined aromatic volatile organic compounds in disposable sanitary pads sold in the FCT and selected states in Nigeria. The researchers described VOCs as among the compounds of interest in assessing potential risks associated with the products.

Kingibe said the concerns warranted prompt regulatory attention, particularly because sanitary pads are products used regularly by millions of women and girls.

“The health, safety and well-being of women and girls across our nation must remain a national priority,” she said.

The senator urged NAFDAC, SON and other relevant agencies to independently investigate the reported findings, conduct comprehensive safety assessments, strengthen quality-control measures and communicate their conclusions clearly to the public.

She stressed that women should be able to use menstrual hygiene products without concerns about potential health risks and called for regulatory standards to be properly enforced.

Kingibe also said individuals who raise legitimate public-health concerns should be heard and protected, rather than ignored.

“The safety of our women is not negotiable. It demands urgent action, transparency and accountability,” she said.

The senator’s call comes as NAFDAC maintains that scientific testing and established regulatory procedures are necessary to determine whether products meet required safety and quality standards. NAFDAC’s regulatory portal says the agency uses laboratory testing, product registration and post-market surveillance as part of its oversight responsibilities.

Several sanitary pad products are currently listed in NAFDAC’s official Greenbook as registered medical devices, underscoring the role of regulatory assessment in determining whether products comply with applicable requirements.

However, the reported VOC concerns raised by Aniekwe and referenced by Kingibe should not be treated as proof that all sanitary pads sold in Nigeria are unsafe. Any health implications, the products affected and whether regulatory standards were breached would need to be established through appropriate scientific testing and official investigations.