The Federal Government has unveiled seven locally developed herbal medicines designed to treat and manage a range of health conditions, including prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, peptic ulcer disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, and Hepatitis B.
The products were developed by the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) as part of efforts to promote indigenous pharmaceutical innovation and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported medicines.
Speaking during an official visit to the agency’s headquarters in Lagos on Tuesday, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, described Nigeria as a country richly blessed with medicinal plants that could provide effective solutions to many health challenges if properly harnessed.
He said the Federal Government was committed to strengthening traditional medicine research by addressing key challenges facing the agency, including inadequate funding. The minister also pledged to facilitate the establishment of a Clinical Observational Research Centre to accelerate research and commercialization of the herbal products.
According to Udeh, discussions with pharmaceutical industry stakeholders during the visit highlighted Nigeria’s potential to become a major producer and exporter of natural medicines worth billions of dollars.
“Nigeria has the capacity to generate significant revenue through the production of natural medicines while meeting the healthcare needs of its citizens. We will move swiftly to establish the Clinical Observational Research Centre without waiting for funding in the 2027 budget by exploring alternative financing options,” he said.
The minister praised the agency’s leadership and researchers for developing natural remedies targeting diseases such as malaria, sickle cell disease, diabetes, erectile dysfunction, and several tropical illnesses.
Director-General of the NNMDA, Prof. Martins Emeje, revealed that the agency has developed more than 22 herbal products from indigenous medicinal plants since 2023 to address Nigeria’s healthcare needs.
He noted that advances in research and standardization have improved the credibility of herbal medicine, with many products now available in modern dosage forms such as capsules, tablets, and syrups.
“We want to change the narrative of drug importation in Nigeria. Our goal is to develop and export medicines made from our indigenous resources,” Emeje said.
He added that one of the newly launched products, once fully commercialized across its value chain, has the potential to create about 3.5 million jobs.
Providing details of the newly unveiled medicines, Emeje said Namdavir was developed for the treatment of Hepatitis B, while Namdacid is formulated for the management of peptic ulcer disease.
Another product, Turmegol, is designed to help prevent and manage cancers such as colorectal, ovarian, and prostate cancer. According to him, scientific studies indicate that the herbal formulation can slow cancer progression and eliminate early cancer cells.
The agency also introduced Namdorol for managing high cholesterol and hypertension, Namgor as an aphrodisiac, and Zobo Tea for blood pressure management.
Emeje urged the Federal Government to deepen investment in clinical trials through the proposed Clinical Observational Research Centre to support the validation and commercialization of Nigeria’s indigenous medicines.
Also speaking at the event, India’s Consul General in Lagos, Shri Kannan, said Nigeria and India have significant opportunities to collaborate in advancing traditional medicine and natural healthcare innovations.
