The Presidency has applauded five deaf Nigerian students for emerging as global finalists at the 2026 Technovation Girls World Summit in Bengaluru, India, following their innovation in menstrual health technology.
The students, Adegbile Teniola Vivian, Sulaiman Maryam Adenike Isah, Moses Joy, Ukpapi Theresa Uzepi and Yusuf Ruth, popularly known as the STRIM Girls, attend Government Secondary School, Kuje, Abuja. They developed Saving Pad (SP), an artificial intelligence-powered application designed to help girls locate sanitary pad banks, request menstrual products and access menstrual health education.
The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa, described the achievement as a source of national pride and evidence that deaf students can excel in technology and innovation when provided with appropriate opportunities and support.
According to a statement issued by his Director of Media and Communications Strategy, Lanre Oloyede, Abba Isa said the students’ success demonstrated the importance of inclusive education, digital skills development and mentorship for persons with disabilities.
He commended the management and teachers of Government Secondary School, Kuje, and the Technology Beyond Disability Initiative (TechBDI) for supporting the students’ development. He also urged corporate organisations, technology companies and development partners to invest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics programmes for students with disabilities.
The presidential aide reaffirmed his office’s commitment to promoting equal opportunities and inclusive education, stressing that the STRIM Girls’ achievement reflects the potential of young Nigerians with disabilities to compete internationally and contribute meaningfully to national development.
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