The Federal Government has unveiled seven herbal medicines developed from indigenous medicinal plants for the treatment and management of cancer, hepatitis B, hypertension, peptic ulcer disease and high cholesterol, marking a major step in promoting locally produced healthcare solutions.
The products, developed by the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA), are part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector, reduce dependence on imported medicines and unlock the country’s rich medicinal plant resources for economic growth.
Speaking during the unveiling at the agency’s headquarters in Lagos on Tuesday, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, said Nigeria possesses enormous natural medicinal resources that can improve healthcare delivery and drive economic development if properly harnessed.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing challenges confronting the agency, particularly inadequate funding, to accelerate research, product development and commercialisation.
Udeh also pledged to facilitate the immediate establishment of a Clinical Observational Research Centre requested by the agency, without waiting for the 2027 budget.
“We are going to move immediately and innovatively after this unveiling to establish the Clinical Observational Research Centre without waiting for funding from the 2027 budget. We are going to identify alternative ways of generating funds to build the centre,” he said.
The minister noted that traditional medicine has continued to play a significant role in meeting the healthcare needs of millions of Nigerians and commended the agency’s research into natural remedies for diseases including malaria, sickle cell disease, diabetes and erectile dysfunction.
He added that engagements with stakeholders in the pharmaceutical industry have shown that Nigeria has the potential to become a leading producer and exporter of natural medicines worth billions of dollars.
Director-General of the NNMDA, Prof. Martins Emeje, disclosed that the agency has developed more than 22 herbal products from indigenous medicinal plants since 2023 to address the country’s healthcare challenges.
According to him, advances in scientific research and standardisation have significantly improved the safety, quality and dosage of herbal medicines, which are now produced in capsules, tablets and syrup formulations.
Emeje revealed that one of the herbal products, when fully commercialised across its value chain, could generate about 3.5 million jobs nationwide.
He identified the seven newly unveiled products as Namdavir for hepatitis B, Namdacid for peptic ulcer disease, Turmegol for the prevention and management of colorectal, ovarian and prostate cancers, Namdorol for high cholesterol and hypertension, Namgor, an aphrodisiac, and Zobo Tea for hypertension.
He added that research conducted by the agency indicates that Turmegol has shown the potential to halt the progression of certain cancers or eliminate cancer cells at an early stage.
The NNMDA boss urged the Federal Government to strengthen herbal medicine research through clinical trials by establishing a Clinical Observational Research Centre at the agency’s Lagos headquarters.
Also speaking, the Consul General of India in Lagos, Shri Kannan, called for stronger collaboration between Nigeria and India in traditional medicine through joint research on medicinal plants, scientific validation, quality assurance, biodiversity conservation, capacity building and innovation.
He said both countries possess rich biodiversity and centuries-old healing traditions that, when combined with scientific research, could make significant contributions to modern healthcare.
