Nollywood actress Mercy Johnson-Okojie has sparked widespread reactions online after being unveiled as brand ambassador for Girls Tag, a menstrual care product said to retail for N25,000.
Girls Tag, described as an all-in-one period care pack designed for girls aged nine and above, recently launched with Mercy Johnson and her daughter, Purity Okojie, as ambassadors. Actress Regina Daniels was also later unveiled as a face of the brand.
However, the product’s reported price has triggered outrage on social media, with many Nigerians describing it as unrealistic and insensitive amid the country’s economic hardship.
Millions of women and girls already struggle to afford basic sanitary products, with some reportedly missing school or resorting to unsafe alternatives during menstruation.
Reacting online, an X user, @Lai, defended the brand, saying: “Not everyone is a philanthropist. Nigeria’s problems are not everybody’s problem. She knows who her customers are. This is business.”
Another user, @MsJorji, wrote: “Mercy Johnson, you are an embarrassment to women. In a country where women are struggling to afford sanitary pads, you want to charge 25k for a sanitary pad.”
Others questioned why menstrual products, considered essential items, were being positioned as luxury products.
“The target audience had to be baddies,” @ATallEdoGirl posted.
@kenny added: “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.”
Another user, @bidemi criticised supporters of the brand, saying: “In a country where sanitary pads are meant to be free, someone is selling them for 25k and people are defending it because of packaging.”
Several users also stressed that menstrual hygiene products should be affordable and accessible, especially for young girls.
