By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Federal Government has unveiled seven herbal medicines developed by the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency for the treatment and management of prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, peptic ulcer disease, hypertension, high cholesterol and hepatitis B, in a major push to advance local pharmaceutical innovation.
The products were unveiled by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Udeh, on Tuesday, 28 July, 2026 during an official visit to the agency’s headquarters in Lagos, where he also met with captains of industry in the pharmaceutical sector to discuss the commercialisation of the products.
According to the NNMDA, more than 22 herbal products have been developed from indigenous medicinal plants since 2023 to address Nigerians’ health needs locally.
Udeh explained that Nigeria was richly endowed with thousands of medicinal plants which, if effectively harnessed, could provide solutions to the diverse health conditions affecting Nigerians, noting that traditional medicine had for centuries met the healthcare needs of indigenous communities.
The Minister disclosed the Federal Government’s readiness to address the major challenges confronting the agency to enable it to do more, promising to facilitate the establishment of a Clinical Observational Research Centre as requested by the agency’s leadership, in addition to addressing the challenge of inadequate funding.
He commended the leadership and staff of the agency for their research and development of natural medicines for tropical diseases and other health conditions, including malaria, sickle cell disease, erectile dysfunction and diabetes.
Udeh explained that the resolution reached after the meeting with pharmaceutical industry captains was that Nigeria had the potential to produce and export natural medicines worth billions of dollars, adding that the agency could also generate billions of naira through the production of natural medicines while meeting the healthcare needs of Nigerians.
He said the government would move immediately to establish the Clinical Observational Research Centre without waiting for funding from the 2027 budget, stressing that alternative sources of funding for the centre would be identified.
Earlier, while presenting the agency’s activities, ongoing research and the medicinal plants cultivated across the country, some of which were used to develop the seven herbal products, the Director-General of NNMDA, Prof Martins Emeje, said the efficacy of herbal medicine was no longer in doubt, stressing that standardisation now ensured proper dosage.
Emeje, who is Co-Chair of the World Health Organisation’s Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine, expressed excitement over the unveiling of the products, noting that traditional medicines were now being produced in standard dosage forms such as capsules, tablets and syrups.
He said the agency wanted to change the narrative of drug importation in Nigeria by developing and exporting local medicines, disclosing that one of the products launched, when fully developed across the value chain, had the capacity to generate 3.5 million jobs.
Emeje, a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science, said the agency had made significant progress in developing herbal medicines from indigenous medicinal plants to address the country’s healthcare needs, and urged the Federal Government to deepen research through clinical trials by establishing a Clinical Observational Research Centre at the agency’s headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Providing insight into the seven products, Emeje explained that the first, called Namdavir, was a natural medicine developed from an indigenous medicinal plant and was highly active against the hepatitis B virus.
He said the second product, Namdacid, was developed for the management of peptic ulcer disease, describing ulcer as a major health challenge in Nigerian communities.
He explained that the third product, Turmegol, was used in the management and prevention of cancers such as colorectal, ovarian and prostate cancers, produced from Nigerian medicinal plants with scientific evidence showing it could stop the progression of cancers or eliminate early cancer cells.
He added that the agency had also developed Namdorol, a natural medicine for high cholesterol that cleansed the system and was effective in managing hypertension, as well as Namgor, an aphrodisiac, and Zobo Tea for the management of hypertension.
The Consul General of India in Lagos, Shri Kannan, said there were enormous opportunities for India and Nigeria to collaborate in the field of traditional medicine, listing medicinal plant research, scientific validation of traditional medicines, standardisation and quality assurance, biodiversity conservation, capacity building, academic exchanges, entrepreneurship and innovation in natural products as areas of possible collaboration.
He described India and Nigeria as two ancient civilisations blessed with rich biodiversity, deep cultural heritage and centuries-old healing traditions, adding that both countries possessed invaluable indigenous knowledge systems that had served their societies for generations and continued to provide important solutions for modern healthcare.
