For many women, bras are simply uncomfortable, something they tolerate, not enjoy.
The tight bands, strap marks, and unforgiving underwires make bras more of a necessary evil than a comfort accessory. Some even joke that if the underwire is metal, one wrong move and you might puncture a lung. Itโs no wonder many Nigerian women are rethinking the need for them entirely.
October 13 marks National No Bra Day, an annual campaign dedicated to raising awareness about breast cancer and encouraging early detection. While National No Bra Day aims to promote breast cancer awareness and body acceptance, the narrative takes a different turn in Nigeria, where some women have reportedly faced harassment and even alleged arrest for going braless.
Not long ago, social media went wild over reports that a security group in Anambra State planned to arrest women for going out without bras or underwear. A video even showed an official claiming, in Igbo, that the instruction came from Governor Chukwuma Soludo. The story sparked outrage, until the government publicly denied and debunked the rumour.
๐๐๐๐๐: ๐๐ง๐๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐จ ๐๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐, ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ
A security outfit in Anambra has declared its intention to arrest women seen in public without bras or panties.
Theโฆ pic.twitter.com/wkpxh1brVr— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) February 17, 2025
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There was also a viral video of female students in Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) being physically checked for bras before exams. What happened to privacy, dignity, and the appropriateness of dress-code enforcement in schools?
Video: Olabisi Onabanjo University OOU allegedly enforces the new โNo bra, No entryโ policy
pic.twitter.com/tKLNs9XKwz— Nigeria Stories (@NigeriaStories) June 17, 2025
The bra debate has become a hot topic across Nigerian social media and podcasts, sparking heated arguments about morality, fashion, and control. Some critics claim that women who go braless are tempting or distracting men, accusing them of assaulting men with their nipples.
Most of the ladies that go to shopping malls do not wear bra — Nedu
pic.twitter.com/bxUZ6WJr3U— Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) May 8, 2023
On the womenโs side, there were plenty of reasons why they don’t wear bras, and here are some of the most common:
Comfort
A large consensus was comfort, and it’s logical. In hot, humid weather like ours, people often choose lighter, less restrictive clothing, and for some, that means a bralette, camisole, or nothing under a top at all.
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Cost
Bras can be expensive, and this is a real consideration where budgets are tight. Low-cost underwear markets donโt always carry well-fitting, supportive options for all body types, and when the available bras are uncomfortable or ill-fitting, many women simply stop wearing them. A quality bra for average bust sizes can now cost โฆ20,000, and for fuller cups, prices climb to โฆ50,000 or more.
When we spoke to Mrs. Sobona Kabirat Moninuola, a Lagos-based bra vendor, she revealed that bra sales have dropped by nearly 50% since mid-2024. According to her, the sharp decline is largely due to rising prices. She said:
Customers who used to buy four bras between 2020 and 2023 now settle for just one.
She added that stock that previously sold out within three weeks now sits on her shelves for three months or more, gathering dust.
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Fashion fits
Letโs be honest, the fashion girlies arenโt about to sacrifice their style on the altar of societal expectations. In this era of crop tops and cut-outs, why ruin the vibe with a bra? For many younger Nigerian women, itโs about clean lines and comfort. Theyโre choosing styles that prioritise aesthetic and layering over conventional undergarments.
Body positivity
The phrase โmy body, my choiceโ captures why many women go braless, as a statement of body positivity, self-ownership, and resistance to societal control. But as always, the internet is divided on this; some see it as empowerment and awareness, while others brand it indecent or attention-seeking.
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Menโs opinions on Nigerian women going braless are divided. While some find it appealing or unbothered, others insist it breaches public decency standards. Even those who acknowledge that bras can be uncomfortable argue that visible nipples, areolas, or nipple piercings in public make them uneasy.
Ultimately, two truths can exist side by side. Bras arenโt the most comfortable thing to wear, but public decency and context still matter. As conversations around body autonomy continue, perhaps the goal isnโt choosing one truth over the other, but learning how to coexist with both respectfully.
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