Nigeria unveils 7 new herbal medicines, pledges health equity through traditional remedies

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its dedication to achieving health equity for all citizens, underscoring the vital role of traditional medicine in bridging the nation’s healthcare gap.

During a visit to the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) laboratory complex in Lagos, Innovation, Science and Technology Minister Dr. Kingsley Udeh unveiled seven novel herbal products.

He announced that these remedies would be integrated into the ‘Energise Commercialisation Now’ programme—championed by First Lady Senator Remi Tinubu—to transform local research prototypes into market-ready products, scalable businesses, and jobs. Udeh expressed confidence that with proper documentation and effective implementation, traditional medicine could realistically help meet the country’s healthcare goals.

NNMDA Director General Professor Martins Emeje highlighted the agency’s dual focus: providing affordable healthcare while creating livelihoods for Nigerian youth, despite persistent challenges such as poor funding and the high costs of pre-clinical and clinical trials.

He also revealed the agency’s lead role in a £3 million research grant, partnering with Obafemi Awolowo University and Nnamdi Azikiwe University to strengthen community-driven research.

India’s Consul-General in Lagos, Kannan Chockalongam, noted the shared heritage between Nigeria and India in traditional medicinal knowledge, advocating for greater scientific collaboration to unlock further opportunities for human development.

The newly launched trado-medicines—targeting hepatitis, high cholesterol, ulcers, and fertility—bring the agency’s total manufactured remedies to over thirty-two.

Earlier, the Minister held a closed-door meeting with industry stakeholders to discuss collaborative strategies for improving the local medication production chain.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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