Posted by Chinenye on Thu 30th Jul, 2026 - tori.ng
Nigeria has taken a major step into the world of natural medicine as new locally developed products are introduced to tackle some serious health challenges.
(Stakeholders during the unveiling of herbal medicines. Photo by Healthwise)
The Federal Government has unveiled seven herbal remedies created by the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency to treat and manage hepatitis B, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, peptic ulcer disease, hypertension, and high cholesterol in a significant effort to promote local pharmaceutical innovation.
Since 2023, over 22 herbal medicines made from native medicinal plants have been created, according to the NNMDA, to meet the health requirements of Nigerians domestically.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Udeh, has unveiled seven herbal products developed by the National Natural Medicines Development Agency, describing them as evidence of Nigeria's potential to become a major exporter of natural medicines.
The minister unveiled the products during an official visit to the agency in Lagos on Tuesday, where he also met with captains of industry in the pharmaceutical sector to discuss their commercialisation.
Udeh said Nigeria is richly endowed with thousands of medicinal plants which, if effectively harnessed, could provide solutions to the diverse health conditions affecting Nigerians.
He noted that traditional medicine had, for centuries, met the healthcare needs of indigenous communities, while disclosing the Federal Government's readiness to address the major challenges confronting the agency to enable it do more.
He also promised to facilitate the establishment of a Clinical Observational Research Centre, as requested by the agency's leadership, in addition to addressing the challenge of inadequate funding.
He commended the leadership and staff of the agency for their research and development of natural medicines for tropical diseases and other health conditions, including malaria, sickle cell disease, erectile dysfunction and diabetes.
He said the resolution reached after the meeting with captains of industry in the pharmaceutical sector was that Nigeria has the potential to produce and export natural medicines worth billions of dollars.
Adding that the agency could also generate billions of naira through the production of such medicines while meeting the healthcare needs of Nigerians.
He said the government would move immediately and innovatively to establish the Clinical Observational Research Centre without waiting for funding from the 2027 budget, stressing that alternative means of generating funds for the centre would be identified.
Earlier, while presenting the agency's activities, ongoing research and the medicinal plants cultivated across the country, some of which were used to develop the seven products unveiled by the minister, the Director-General of NNMDA, Prof Martins Emeje, said the efficacy of herbal medicine was no longer in doubt, stressing that standardisation now ensured proper dosage.
Emeje, who is the Co-Chair of the World Health Organisation's Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine, expressed excitement over the unveiling of the products, noting that traditional medicines are now being produced in standard dosage forms such as capsules, tablets and syrups.
He said the country needed to change the narrative around drug importation by developing and exporting its own medicines, disclosing that one of the products launched, when fully developed across the value chain, has the capacity to generate 3.5 million jobs.
He added that a business meeting was also held with captains of industry in the pharmaceutical sector.
Emeje, a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science, said the agency had made significant progress in developing herbal medicines from indigenous medicinal plants to address the country's healthcare needs, and urged the Federal Government to deepen research through clinical trials by establishing a Clinical Observational Research Centre at the agency's headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Giving details of the seven herbal products unveiled, the NNMDA boss said the first is a natural medicine developed from an indigenous medicinal plant for the Hepatitis B virus, highly active against the virus and named Namdavir.
The second, called Namdacid, is used in managing peptic ulcer disease, which he described as a major health challenge in communities across the country.
He said the third product is used in the management and prevention of cancers such as colorectal, ovarian and prostate cancers, explaining that it is produced from Nigerian medicinal plants and has shown potential to prevent these cancers, with scientific evidence indicating it can stop the progression of cancers or eliminate early cancer cells. This product is called Turmegol.
He added that the agency also developed a natural medicine for high cholesterol, called Namdorol, which cleanses the system and has proven effective in managing hypertension, alongside Namgor, an aphrodisiac, and Zobo Tea, also used in managing hypertension.
The Consul General of India in Lagos, Shri Kannan, said there were enormous opportunities for India and Nigeria to collaborate in the field of traditional medicine, noting that institutions from both countries could work together in medicinal plant research, scientific validation of traditional medicines, standardisation and quality assurance, biodiversity conservation, capacity building, academic exchanges, entrepreneurship and innovation in natural products.
He described India and Nigeria as two ancient civilisations blessed with rich biodiversity, deep cultural heritage and centuries-old healing traditions, adding that both countries possess invaluable indigenous knowledge systems that have served their societies for generations and continue to provide important solutions for modern healthcare.