The Federal Government has unveiled seven new herbal medicines developed by the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) for the treatment and management of various health conditions, including prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, peptic ulcer disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, and hepatitis B.
This development is part of a broader effort to promote local pharmaceutical innovation using Nigeria’s rich medicinal plants. According to the agency, it has developed over 22 herbal products from indigenous plants since 2023 to address key health challenges in the country.
The products were officially unveiled on Tuesday in Lagos by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Udeh, during a visit to the NNMDA. The minister also engaged with pharmaceutical industry leaders to explore commercialisation opportunities.
Dr Udeh highlighted Nigeria’s vast endowment of medicinal plants and expressed the government’s commitment to harnessing them for healthcare solutions. He promised to tackle the agency’s challenges, including inadequate funding, and to fast-track the establishment of a Clinical Observational Research Centre.
The minister commended the NNMDA’s research efforts on natural medicines for conditions such as malaria, sickle cell disease, erectile dysfunction, and diabetes, noting the huge economic potential in natural medicine production and export.
Presenting the products, NNMDA Director-General, Prof. Martins Emeje, said the efficacy of properly standardised herbal medicines is no longer in doubt. The new products are formulated in modern dosage forms like capsules, tablets, and syrups.
The seven unveiled products include:
Namdavir – For the treatment of Hepatitis B virus.
Namdacid – For the management of peptic ulcer disease.
Turmegol – For the management and prevention of cancers, including colorectal, ovarian, and prostate cancers.
Namdorol – For high cholesterol and hypertension management.
Namgor – An aphrodisiac.
Zobo Tea – For hypertension management.
One additional product (details not specified in the report).
Prof. Emeje emphasised the need for clinical trials and urged the establishment of the proposed research centre to deepen validation and support local production. He noted that one of the products, if fully developed across its value chain, could generate up to 3.5 million jobs.
The Consul General of India in Lagos, Shri Kannan, also attended the event and expressed optimism about potential collaboration between India and Nigeria in traditional medicine research, standardisation, and capacity building.
The Federal Government sees the initiative as a strategic move to reduce drug importation and position Nigeria as a potential exporter of natural medicines.
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