By Admin:
The Federal Government has inaugurated a Ministerial Committee for the development of phytomedicine value chain to integrate traditional and modern medicine as well as to support health outcomes in Nigeria.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Abuja, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, explained that the committee would lay the foundation for a thriving phytomedicine industry to boost rural livelihoods and contribute to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product.
Dr. Salako further emphasised that the initiative was a testament of the administration’s commitment to achieve universal health coverage, reposition Nigeria’s healthcare systems, diversify the economy, as well as to create wealth and employment opportunities.
“The initiative aims to harness the country’s vast biodiversity and centuries old knowledge of medicinal plants to develop a sustainable, globally competitive phytomedicine industry.
The commercialization of the phytomedicine value chain will create employment opportunities in conservation, cultivation, harvesting, and industrial-scale production of herbal medicinal products. This will position Nigeria to compete in the rapidly expanding global herbal medicine market,“ Dr. Salako stated.
According to Dr. Salako, the newly inaugurated committee is tasked with creating a comprehensive framework to drive phytomedicine commercialization—encompassing research, standardization, quality control, intellectual property rights, and market development.
“The committee’s terms of reference also include identifying high-potential phytomedicinal products; facilitating partnerships among traditional medicine practitioners, researchers, and private investors; proposing policy and regulatory reforms to support commercialization; building stakeholder capacity and promoting knowledge exchange; recommending sustainable financing models, including international collaborations and venture capital.”
The Chairman of the committee and Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Dr. Obi Adigwe, pledged the committee’s readiness to collaborate with key stakeholders to ensure that high quality, safe and affordable phytomedicines become a driving force for economic transformation.
Dr. Adigwe urged the minister to support the committee through regular engagement with development partners and field visits.
“This sector is projected to reach nearly $500 billion globally in a few years. Given Nigeria’s ecology, biodiversity, and traditional knowledge systems, we are well-positioned not only to produce high-quality products but also to transform these into improved healthcare access, revenue, job creation, and technology transfer,“ Adigwe noted.
Members of the Committee comprise government officials, private sector and international partners including the representative of the World Health Organization, representatives of Traditional & Natural Medicine Practitioners.
