Breaking: Nigerian Government Unveils Seven Herbal Medicines for Cancer, Hepatitis B, Other Diseases
The Federal Government has unveiled seven herbal medicines developed by the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) for the treatment and management of prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, hepatitis B, peptic ulcer disease, hypertension and high cholesterol.
The unveiling marks a significant step in the government’s drive to promote indigenous pharmaceutical innovation and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported medicines by harnessing the country’s rich medicinal plant resources.
According to the NNMDA, more than 22 herbal products have been developed from indigenous medicinal plants since 2023 to address the healthcare needs of Nigerians.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, unveiled the products during an official visit to the agency’s headquarters in Lagos on Tuesday, where he also met with key stakeholders in the pharmaceutical industry to discuss strategies for the commercialisation of the products.
Udeh said Nigeria is richly endowed with thousands of medicinal plants that, if properly harnessed, could provide solutions to a wide range of health challenges affecting the population.
He noted that traditional medicine has served indigenous communities for centuries and assured that the Federal Government is committed to addressing the challenges confronting the agency, particularly inadequate funding and research infrastructure.
The minister also pledged to facilitate the establishment of a Clinical Observational Research Centre at the agency, saying the project would commence without waiting for budgetary allocation in 2027.
“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. Billions of naira can also be generated by the agency while meeting the healthcare needs of Nigerians.
“We are going to move immediately and innovatively after this unveiling to establish the Clinical Observational Research Centre without waiting for funding from the 2027 budget. We are going to identify alternative ways of generating funds to build the centre,” Udeh said.
The minister commended the agency’s management and researchers for their work in developing natural medicines for diseases such as malaria, sickle cell disease, diabetes and erectile dysfunction, in addition to the newly unveiled products.
Earlier, the Director General of NNMDA, Prof. Martins Emeje, said the effectiveness of herbal medicine is no longer in doubt, adding that advancements in standardisation have made it possible to produce herbal medicines in accurate dosage forms, including capsules, tablets and syrups.
He said the agency is committed to changing the narrative of drug importation by developing world-class medicines from Nigeria’s indigenous medicinal plants for both local consumption and export.
“We want to change the narrative of drug importation in Nigeria. We must develop our medicines and export them. One of the products launched here today, when fully developed across the value chain, has the capacity to generate 3.5 million jobs,” Emeje said.
He disclosed that one of the newly unveiled products, Namdavir, is designed for the treatment of hepatitis B, while Namdacid is used in the management of peptic ulcer disease.
According to him, another product, Turmegol, has shown promising potential in the prevention and management of colorectal, ovarian and prostate cancers by preventing the progression of cancer cells.
The agency also unveiled Namdorol, developed for the management of high cholesterol and hypertension, as well as Namgor, an aphrodisiac, and Zobo Tea, which is used in the management of hypertension.
Emeje urged the Federal Government to deepen investment in research through the establishment of a Clinical Observational Research Centre at the agency’s headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos, to facilitate clinical trials and global acceptance of the products.
Also speaking, the Consul General of India in Lagos, Shri Kannan, called for stronger collaboration between Nigeria and India in traditional medicine, medicinal plant research, scientific validation, quality assurance, biodiversity conservation, academic exchange and natural product innovation.
He noted that both countries possess rich biodiversity and centuries-old healing traditions, which can be leveraged to develop globally competitive natural medicines while improving healthcare outcomes.
Source: Punch