Nairobi County has set a historic precedent in East Africa. In a landmark decision approved by Governor Johnson Sakaja, female employees under the Nairobi City County government have been granted two fully paid menstrual health days every month.
This new policy is not a sick leave deduction; it is a standalone entitlement designed to acknowledge the biological reality millions of women face. Under this new framework, women no longer need to feign illness or power through debilitating pain. The policy aims to dignify the workplace, boost long-term productivity, and reduce the stigma surrounding menstruation.
So, what are Nigerian women enjoying by comparison?
Unlike their counterparts in Nairobi’s public sector, the vast majority of Nigerian women are not enjoying government-mandated menstrual leave.
There is currently no provision in Nigerian Labour Law granting paid time off specifically for menstruation. For most especially in the civil service and informal sector, debilitating cramps remain a personal struggle rather than a professional consideration, requiring women to use limited sick days or simply soldier on.
Furthermore, while the Nigerian government has launched a “National Policy on Menstrual Health,” its focus remains largely on hygiene—reducing period poverty and improving access to water, rather than granting the professional right to rest.
Nairobi has elevated menstrual health to a labour right, structurally integrating it into the machinery of government employment. Nigeria, conversely, largely treats it as a hygiene issue for the many, or a corporate perk reserved for the lucky few in modern startups.
For now, the distinction is clear: The woman in Nairobi City Hall has the legal backing to pause and recover, while her counterpart in a Nigerian ministry must rely on a benevolent boss or her own resilience to make it through the month.
