The Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) is striving to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported pharmaceuticals by promoting the development and use of local natural medicines.
This initiative is aimed at ensuring self-sufficiency in healthcare and addressing critical health challenges such as cholera, antimicrobial resistance, and other diseases that continue to burden the nation.
Speaking at the agency’s end-of-year media engagement recently in Lagos, director-general of NNMDA, Prof. Martins Emeje, highlighted the agency’s ongoing efforts to harness Nigeria’s vast natural resources in providing effective healthcare solutions.
He emphasised the need for sustained focus on indigenous medicine as a way to reduce the country’s dependency on foreign drugs and boost local economic growth.
Dr. Martins said the NNMDA has made notable progress in developing indigenous oral medicines to combat diseases such as cholera and sickle cell anaemia. The agency is also at an advanced stage of seeking approval from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to begin mass production of these natural remedies, he said.
“By leveraging our natural resources, we can significantly reduce our dependence on imported drugs, which often come at high costs and with adverse side effects. Our goal is to build a self-sufficient health system that relies on locally sourced and scientifically validated solutions,” Prof. Emeje explained.
The agency is also developing a national database of traditional medicine practitioners to help integrate indigenous knowledge into Nigeria’s broader healthcare system. Prof. Emeje stressed the importance of capacity building, citing that, under his leadership, the agency has started training professionals to conduct research and contribute to the growth of the natural medicine sector.
The DG underscored the potential of combining indigenous knowledge with modern science, particularly through the use of nanotechnology in developing herbal products. “Natural medicine offers holistic solutions because plants naturally contain bioactive compounds that can work synergistically to treat diseases. Unlike conventional medicines, they do not have the same side effects and are more aligned with our environment,” he said.
NNMDA’s commitment to innovation has garnered international recognition, including a four-year research grant from the Canadian Institute for Health Research.
The agency has also formed partnerships with 16 Nigerian medical professors to advance research and development in natural medicine. This collaboration is expected to elevate Nigeria’s global standing in the field of indigenous healthcare solutions.
Looking ahead to 2025, the DG said NNMDA plans to intensify its efforts to create research farms across Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas and further develop the Cassava Value Addition Initiative (CVAI), a project supported by the National Assembly.
Also, he said the agency is set to establish a Pilot Plant to transition laboratory research into industrial production, ensuring that discoveries in natural medicine can be scaled for mass production
Prof. Emeje reiterated NNMDA’s vision to create sustainable healthcare solutions by harmonizing traditional knowledge with modern science.
He also called for greater collaboration from stakeholders and the media to support the agency’s efforts in reducing Nigeria’s dependency on imported pharmaceuticals, marking a new era for the nation’s healthcare system.
As part of the event, NNMDA also launched the “Journalists for Natural Medicine” (JONAMED), a coalition aimed at promoting the benefits of natural medicine through media engagement, further cementing the agency’s role in leading Nigeria toward self-reliance in healthcare.
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