The unveiling of Nollywood actress Mercy Johnson Okojie as brand ambassador for a menstrual hygiene product has triggered widespread criticism online, with many Nigerians questioning the pricing and accessibility of the product.
The brand, Girls Tag, which positions itself as an all-in-one period care package designed for girls aged nine and above, was recently launched with Mercy Johnson and her daughter, Purity Okojie, introduced as ambassadors. Shortly after, fellow actress Regina Daniels was also announced as part of the campaign.
However, attention quickly shifted from the celebrity endorsements to the reported price point of N25,000, with critics arguing that the product is out of reach for the average Nigerian girl and woman, particularly in a country where many already struggle to afford basic menstrual hygiene supplies.
For many online commentators, the issue was not just branding but affordability and social sensitivity, with concerns raised about the implications for school-aged girls who may already miss school during menstruation due to lack of access to sanitary products.
One user, @Lai, defended the pricing and framing of the product, writing: “PHIL, not everyone is a philanthropist! X Nigeria’s problems is not everyone’s problem. She knows who are customers are…she is not interested in the average Nigerian lady or every girl child.”
The user added: “We dont tell dangote to sell Fuel at #100 to support poor or small business owners…. This is business..and again, Nigeria is not everybody’s problem.”
Others were far less forgiving in their criticism. A user identified as Ms Jorji wrote: “Mercy Johnson, you are an embarrassment to women. In a country where women are struggling to afford sanitary pad, you want to charge 25k for sanitary pad.”
Another commentator, @A Tall Edo Girl, reacted sarcastically to the product positioning, saying: “The target audience had to be baddies.”
Concerns over accessibility were echoed by @Rebekah, who argued that basic menstrual care should not be treated as a luxury item. “Dear @realmercyj, Nigeria is a poor country. Elitism should never extend to the basic rights and dignity of girls and women. Sanitary pads are not luxury items,” she wrote, questioning how many Nigerians could realistically afford such a cost monthly.
@Ara also weighed in, criticising what they described as misplaced priorities in public reactions to celebrity-driven marketing: “The way some of you kiss celebrities’ ass is annoying. In a country where sanitary pads are meant to be free, someone is selling them for 25k and I’m seeing, ‘oh, the packaging is worth it’ yen yen yen.”
They added: “Since when did pads start having a target audience???”
Other users focused on affordability and basic dignity, with @Matt stating: “To be honest, sanitary pads shouldn’t cost this much, I believe that it should be a basic amenity just like food!”
@Okafor Gift expressed disbelief at the pricing, simply writing: “Selling pad for 25k. As how???”
Meanwhile, @Olaámi criticised celebrity involvement in commercial ventures, saying: “Majority of Nigerian celebrities don’t actually stand for anything, all they care about is their bottom line. Greedy assholes.”
The controversy has since fueled wider conversations about menstrual poverty in Nigeria, the role of celebrity endorsements in shaping consumer perception, and whether premium pricing for essential hygiene products is appropriate in a struggling economy.