As part of effort to bridge traditional and modern healthcare systems, the Federal Government has inaugurated a ministerial committee dedicated to developing the phytomedicine value chain in Nigeria.
The initiative, championed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, is expected to strengthen the integration of traditional medicine into mainstream healthcare, stimulate economic growth, and create employment opportunities across rural and urban communities.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said the committee’s mandate goes beyond health policy.
“This is not just a health policy; it is also a socio-economic policy,” Dr. Salako stated.
He noted that the commercialization of Nigeria’s phytomedicine industry would support universal health coverage while boosting livelihoods and contributing to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“It is envisaged that the commercialization of the phytomedicine value chain will provide jobs in the areas of conservation, cultivation, and harvesting of medicinal plants, as well as in the industrial-scale production of herbal medicinal products,” the Minister added.
He stressed the importance of leveraging Nigeria’s rich biodiversity and traditional medicinal practices to compete in the fast-growing global herbal medicine market. “This will ensure Nigeria’s participation in the global market for herbal medicinal products and its contribution to our national economy,” Salako said.
The committee is chaired by Dr. Obi Adigwe, Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD). Dr. Adigwe reaffirmed the group’s commitment to building a robust and sustainable phytomedicine industry.
“We will lead every step of the value chain from discovery and formulation to clinical validation, quality assurance, and global export,” he said. “We will create high-value employment, build robust capacity, secure revenue streams and, above all, improve health outcomes for Nigerians.”
The committee comprises representatives from government ministries, traditional and natural medicine practitioners, private sector players, and international partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO).
Among its terms of reference are the development of a commercialization framework, identification of commercially viable phytomedicinal products, policy reforms, and the establishment of regulatory mechanisms. The committee is also tasked with recommending sustainable financing models and promoting knowledge exchange among scientists, pharmacists, traditional healers, and entrepreneurs.
The Federal Ministry affirmed that the initiative aligns with national health strategies and WHO guidelines on traditional medicine.