– Says products are set for commercialisation by industry partners
In a renewed bid to harness the nation’s natural resources to boost healthcare access and grow the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, officially launched seven indigenous healthcare products developed by the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) on Tuesday, 28 July, 2026.
The unveiling of the natural products, which are indicated for the treatment and prevention of cancers, ulcers, hepatitis B, hypertension, among other health conditions, was held at the NNMDA headquarters in Lagos. The event also featured a strategic meeting between the Minister and pharmaceutical industry partners, who committed to large-scale production and commercialisation of the products to improve healthcare delivery for millions of Nigerians.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting the agency beyond budgetary allocations. Although the 2026 budget had already been concluded, he pledged to advocate for increased funding in the 2027 budget while also leveraging partnerships with private sector leaders. He noted that discussions with captains of industry had yielded encouraging commitments to support research, commercialisation, and infrastructure development within the agency.
“Today, we had a very fruitful engagement with the captains of industry. Some of the things that you wouldn’t see in the report or the memo were discussed and communicated clearly. For example, one of the major industry players, having seen the passion of the leadership of this agency for advancing natural medicine, took the initiative, without asking many questions, to establish a herbal medicine factory within its organisation, worth millions of naira. Even though the factory is yet to attain full utilisation, it is already contributing to health equity in Nigeria because it is manufacturing herbal products,“ he said.
The Minister commended the agency for its significant contribution to improving health equity in Nigeria through research, innovation, and the development of indigenous medicinal products. He praised its research facilities, herbal farms across different states, and ongoing efforts to harness Nigeria’s natural resources for medicinal purposes. He also acknowledged the need to strengthen research infrastructure through improved facilities and equipment, assuring the agency of government support.
He, however, stressed that research should not end with scientific discoveries but should progress to commercialisation. He therefore appreciated the readiness of industry players to support the marketing and large-scale production of the agency’s products, recognising that private companies possess the expertise and capacity needed to manufacture, distribute, and commercialise innovations.
“This collaboration is expected to improve healthcare access, create jobs, increase company revenues, and generate income for both the agency and the nation,” he said.
To ensure accountability, the Minister directed that all agreements reached during the meeting with industry stakeholders be formally documented, including clear timelines and implementation strategies. He explained that institutionalising these commitments would ensure continuity regardless of future changes in government leadership or agency management.
Unveiling the products, the Director-General of NNMDA, Prof. Martins Emeje, listed the products and their indications as Namdacid for ulcers, Namdarol for high cholesterol, Namdavir for hepatitis B, Namdagor for erectile dysfunction, Turmejol for cancers, Zae Granules for hypertension, and Zae Herbal Tea for hypertension.
He emphasised that the efficacy of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine should not be judged solely by the standards applied to conventional (allopathic) medicine, arguing that many medicinal plants have been used successfully for thousands of years through observation and practical experience.
Prof. Emeje, who is also Co-Chair of the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (STAG-TM) of the World Health Organization (WHO), disclosed that the WHO is developing innovative approaches, including reverse pharmacology, to document and validate the effectiveness of traditional medicine. He maintained that while scientific validation is necessary for lesser-known medicinal plants, commonly consumed medicinal plants with long histories of safe use already have established evidence of their benefits.
Speaking on cancer research, the DG identified Turmejol as one of the products being developed for colorectal, ovarian and prostate cancers. He stated that scientific data had been presented privately to industry stakeholders demonstrating its effects on cancer cells but declined to disclose detailed findings publicly ahead of commercialisation. He also distinguished between products intended to prevent diseases and those designed to treat them, stressing that dosage and professional application determine their appropriate use.
The DG further stated that Nigeria’s cultivation of medicinal plants forms the foundation for producing Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), which are essential components in drug manufacturing. He explained that standardisation begins at the farm level through Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP), including proper cultivation, harvesting and processing of medicinal plants. According to him, the Minister’s visit demonstrates the Federal Government’s commitment to developing Nigeria’s pharmaceutical value chain.
He stressed that Nigeria currently depends heavily on imported medicines and argued that the country’s long-term goal should be to produce and eventually export pharmaceutical products derived from indigenous medicinal plants. He described the launch of the seven herbal products as the beginning of a transformation that could reduce import dependence, strengthen local manufacturing, and create significant employment opportunities.
The DG highlighted the economic potential of medicinal plant development, claiming that a fully developed value chain for a single medicinal plant could generate approximately 3.8 million jobs. He said the commercialisation of the seven newly launched products could therefore have a significant impact on employment, industrial growth and Nigeria’s economy.
He explained that the products would reach the market through partnerships with private-sector manufacturers rather than through the research agency itself. According to him, the meeting convened by the Minister with captains of industry was intended to accelerate commercialisation by connecting scientific researchers with companies that have the capacity to manufacture, market and distribute the products nationwide.
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