FG unveils seven herbal medicines for cancer, hepatitis B, hypertension

The Federal Government has unveiled seven herbal medicines developed from indigenous medicinal plants for the treatment and management of conditions including cancer, hepatitis B, hypertension, peptic ulcer disease and high cholesterol.

The products were developed by the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) as part of efforts to promote local pharmaceutical innovation and reduce dependence on imported medicines.

Speaking during the unveiling at the agency’s headquarters in Lagos on Tuesday, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, said Nigeria possesses vast medicinal plant resources that can be harnessed to improve healthcare and boost the economy.

He said the government was committed to addressing the challenges facing the agency, including inadequate funding, to accelerate research and commercialization of locally developed medicines.

Udeh also pledged to facilitate the establishment of a Clinical Observational Research Centre requested by the agency without waiting for the 2027 budget.

“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,” he said.

The minister noted that traditional medicine has long played a vital role in meeting the healthcare needs of Nigerians and commended the agency for its research into natural remedies for diseases such as malaria, sickle cell disease, diabetes and erectile dysfunction.

He added that discussions with pharmaceutical industry stakeholders showed Nigeria has the potential to become a major producer and exporter of natural medicines worth billions of dollars.

Director-General of the NNMDA, Prof. Martins Emeje, said the agency has developed more than 22 herbal products from indigenous medicinal plants since 2023 to address the country’s healthcare needs.

He explained that advances in research and standardization had improved the safety and dosage of herbal medicines, which are now available in forms such as capsules, tablets and syrups.

According to him, one of the herbal products, when fully commercialised across its value chain, could create about 3.5 million jobs.

Emeje identified the seven newly unveiled products as Namdavir for hepatitis B, Namdacid for peptic ulcer disease, Turmegol for the prevention and management of colorectal, ovarian and prostate cancers, Namdorol for high cholesterol and hypertension, Namgor, an aphrodisiac, and Zobo Tea for hypertension.

He said research conducted by the agency indicates that Turmegol has shown potential to halt the progression of certain cancers or eliminate cancer cells at an early stage.

The NNMDA boss called on the Federal Government to strengthen research through clinical trials by establishing a Clinical Observational Research Centre at the agency’s Lagos headquarters.

Also speaking, the Consul General of India in Lagos, Shri Kannan, said Nigeria and India could deepen collaboration in traditional medicine through joint research on medicinal plants, scientific validation, quality assurance, biodiversity conservation, capacity building and innovation.

He noted that both countries possess rich biodiversity and centuries-old healing traditions that can contribute significantly to modern healthcare.