Natasha Asks NAFDAC To Develop Indigenous Herbal Pharmaceutical Industry

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, has appealed to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to spearhead the development of a robust pharmaceutical industry built on Nigeria’s indigenous medicinal plants.

She said the initiative would strengthen healthcare delivery, drive economic growth, and reduce the nation’s dependence on imported medicines.

The senator made the call during the Senate Committee on Finance’s investigative hearing on the remittance of internally generated revenue (IGR) and operating surplus into the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the 2023–2025 fiscal years.

During the hearing, Akpoti-Uduaghan urged  NAFDAC to deepen research, strengthen regulation, and encourage investment in the scientific development of Nigeria’s rich medicinal plant resources into internationally certified pharmaceutical products.

She noted that Nigeria is endowed with abundant medicinal plants with proven therapeutic potential which, if properly researched, standardized, and processed, could serve as the foundation of a thriving indigenous pharmaceutical industry.

“NAFDAC should champion the development of an indigenous pharmaceutical industry by refining and processing our medicinal plants into capsules, tablets, syrups and other certified medicines. We have valuable plants such as moringa, bitter leaf, dongoyaro (neem), and many others that can be scientifically developed into quality pharmaceutical products capable of improving healthcare outcomes while reducing our reliance on imported medicines,” she said.

Senator Natasha stressed that developing Nigeria’s herbal pharmaceutical industry would improve access to affordable healthcare, stimulate scientific research and innovation, create employment opportunities, and unlock significant economic value from the country’s rich biodiversity.

She added that a well-regulated herbal pharmaceutical sector would complement conventional medicine, promote local content in healthcare, strengthen Nigeria’s pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity, and position the country as a leading producer of plant-based medicines in Africa.

Responding, the Director-General of NAFDAC acknowledged the importance of the proposal and agreed that Nigeria has enormous potential in the development of medicines from indigenous plants. She, however, noted that achieving such a vision would require sustained investment in scientific research and development.

The NAFDAC boss explained that extensive research, clinical validation, standardization, and adequate funding are critical to transforming medicinal plants into safe, effective, and globally acceptable pharmaceutical products, adding that increased financial support would enable the agency to advance research and innovation in the sector.

The exchange came as the Senate Committee on Finance continued its oversight of government agencies’ financial remittances, with NAFDAC appearing before the committee to account for its internally generated revenue and operating surplus for the period under review.