Plateau Innovators Turn Banana Stems Into Affordable Biodegradable Sanitary Pads
Two innovators from Plateau State have developed Girlified, a biodegradable sanitary pad made from banana stem fibre, organic cotton and cassava starch. The product is designed to make menstrual products more affordable while reducing plastic waste. The idea began as a University of Jos research project in 2021 and launched commercially in 2022. The team says it has produced more than two million pads and reached over 70,000 women and girls across Nigeria. Girlified pads decompose within about six months and the facility can produce roughly 30,000 pads daily. Its founders also run menstrual hygiene education and free-pad distribution programmes for underserved communities. The project has received support through the Afri-Plastics Challenge, backed by the Canadian government. It highlights how locally available agricultural materials could help address period poverty and pollution at the same time.
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