Nollywood actress Mercy Johnson under fire over N25,000 menstrual kit

Nollywood actress, Mercy Johnson-Okojie, has come under heavy criticism on social media following the unveiling of a menstrual care kit reportedly selling for N25,000.

The product, known as Girls Tag, is described as an all-in-one period care pack designed for girls aged nine and above.

Mercy Johnson and her daughter, Purity Okojie, were recently unveiled as brand ambassadors for the menstrual care brand. Nollywood actress Regina Daniels was also later announced as one of the ambassadors.

However, the launch has triggered angry reactions online, with many Nigerians describing the N25,000 price tag as unrealistic and insensitive in a country where many girls and women still struggle to afford basic sanitary pads.

Critics argued that while the product may be targeted at a premium market, the timing and messaging around it appeared tone-deaf given the level of period poverty in Nigeria.

Some social media users said the controversy was not only about the product but also about Mercy Johnson’s public image and political association.

One user accused the actress of being insensitive to the economic hardship facing Nigerian women and girls, saying a menstrual kit priced at N25,000 was beyond the reach of many households.

Another user wrote that the product may be business, but it could not be separated from the larger reality of Nigerian girls who miss school or resort to unsafe alternatives because they cannot afford menstrual products.

“For this package, N25,000 is much. Poor girl no fit buy am, make we no lie. So every month I will buy N25,000 pad kit, especially if you are heavy flow type? Let us be real,” one critic wrote.

Another user, however, defended the actress, arguing that not every product is designed for the average Nigerian.

“Not everyone is a philanthropist. Nigeria’s problem is not everyone’s problem. She knows who her customers are. This is business,” the user said.

Others also argued that the existence of poverty does not mean premium products should not exist, saying people who can afford the kit are free to buy it.

“There is period poverty. But that still does not mean people who can afford this will not buy it because the rest of the world is poor. It is sad, but that is how it is,” another user wrote.

The backlash has opened a wider debate on celebrity endorsements, affordability, menstrual health and the growing gap between premium lifestyle products and the economic reality of many Nigerian families.

Many critics said the problem was not the idea of a menstrual care kit, but the pricing and the way the product was being positioned in a country where sanitary products remain unaffordable for many girls.

Supporters of the brand, however, said the kit goes beyond sanitary pads and includes other items designed to help young girls manage their periods with dignity, confidence and better hygiene.