The Federal Government has unveiled seven herbal medicines developed by the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) for the management of cancer, hepatitis B and other health conditions.
The products, developed from indigenous medicinal plants, target conditions including prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, peptic ulcer disease, hypertension, high cholesterol and hepatitis B.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Udeh, unveiled the medicines during a visit to the NNMDA headquarters in Lagos on Tuesday. He also held discussions with pharmaceutical industry leaders on ways to commercialise the products.
Udeh said Nigeria’s large variety of medicinal plants could support the development of locally produced medicines and reduce dependence on imported drugs.
He said the Federal Government was committed to addressing challenges facing the agency, including funding limitations, and pledged support for the establishment of a Clinical Observational Research Centre at the NNMDA.
“The resolution after the meeting with captains of industry in the pharmaceutical sector is that Nigeria has the potential to produce and export natural medicines worth billions of dollars,” Udeh said.
He added that the government would explore alternative funding options to begin work on the proposed research centre without waiting for the 2027 budget.
The Director-General of NNMDA, Prof. Martins Emeje, said the agency had developed more than 22 herbal products from indigenous plants since 2023 as part of efforts to provide local solutions to healthcare challenges.
Emeje, who is also Co-Chair of the World Health Organisation’s Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine, said herbal medicines had evolved beyond traditional preparations, with products now available in standard forms such as capsules, tablets and syrups.
He said the agency was focused on changing Nigeria’s dependence on imported medicines by developing and exporting locally produced alternatives.
“One of the products launched here today, when fully developed across the value chain, has the capacity to generate 3.5 million jobs,” he said.
The NNMDA chief explained that the seven products unveiled include Namdavir, developed for hepatitis B management; Namdacid, for peptic ulcer disease; and Turmegol, a product developed from Nigerian medicinal plants for cancer management and prevention.
Other products include Namdorol, for high cholesterol and hypertension management; Namgor, an aphrodisiac; and Zobo Tea, developed for hypertension management.
Emeje said scientific studies had been conducted on the products to establish their effectiveness, adding that further clinical research would strengthen their acceptance and use.
The Consul General of India in Lagos, Shri Kannan, who attended the unveiling, called for stronger collaboration between Nigeria and India in traditional medicine research.
He said both countries could work together in areas including medicinal plant research, quality assurance, biodiversity conservation, capacity building and innovation in natural products.
Kannan noted that Nigeria and India share long histories of traditional healing practices and possess indigenous knowledge that could contribute to modern healthcare development.
