The Federal Government has unveiled seven herbal medicines developed from indigenous medicinal plants for the treatment and management of prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, peptic ulcer disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, hepatitis B and other health conditions.
The herbal products were developed by the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) and unveiled on Tuesday in Lagos by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, as part of efforts to boost local pharmaceutical innovation and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported medicines.
According to the agency, more than 22 herbal products have been developed from Nigerian medicinal plants since 2023 to address the country’s healthcare needs.
Speaking during the unveiling, Udeh said Nigeria is richly endowed with thousands of medicinal plants that, if properly harnessed, could provide solutions to many diseases affecting Nigerians while creating significant economic opportunities.
He disclosed that the Federal Government would support the commercialisation of the herbal medicines, having met with pharmaceutical industry stakeholders to discuss large-scale production and marketing of the products.
The minister also pledged to facilitate the establishment of a Clinical Observational Research Centre at the agency’s headquarters in Lagos to deepen clinical research and validation of herbal medicines. He assured that the project would commence through alternative funding sources rather than waiting for allocations in the 2027 budget.
Udeh commended the agency’s research efforts, noting that Nigeria has the potential to produce and export natural medicines worth billions of dollars while generating substantial revenue and meeting the healthcare needs of its citizens.
Director-General of the NNMDA, Prof. Martins Emeje, said the agency had made significant progress in standardising traditional medicines, which are now produced in modern dosage forms such as capsules, tablets and syrups.
He stressed that scientific research has strengthened confidence in the efficacy of herbal medicines, with standardisation ensuring proper dosage and quality.
Emeje identified the newly unveiled products as Namdavir for the treatment of hepatitis B virus infection, Namdacid for the management of peptic ulcer disease, Turmegol for the prevention and management of colorectal, ovarian and prostate cancers, and Namdorol for lowering cholesterol and managing hypertension.
He added that the agency also introduced Namgor, an aphrodisiac, and Zobo Tea for hypertension management.
According to the NNMDA boss, research indicates that Turmegol has the potential to stop the progression of certain cancers or eliminate cancer cells at an early stage, while one of the herbal products, when fully commercialised across its value chain, could generate about 3.5 million jobs.
Emeje called on the Federal Government to strengthen clinical research by establishing the proposed Clinical Observational Research Centre, saying it would accelerate the scientific validation and commercialisation of indigenous medicines.
Also speaking, the Consul General of India in Lagos, Shri Kannan, said Nigeria and India could collaborate in medicinal plant research, scientific validation of traditional medicine, quality assurance, biodiversity conservation, capacity building and innovation in natural products, noting that both countries possess rich traditions of indigenous healthcare systems.