The Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) has developed 23 new herbal medicines, surpassing its 2024 target of 11.
The announcement was made by the agency’s Director-General, Prof. Martins Emeje, during a public accountability event in Lagos.
Emeje, a professor of Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, said the new remedies include treatments for diarrhoea, peptic ulcers, hepatitis B, sickle cell, diabetes, and immune boosting.
He described the diarrhoea medicine as a key achievement, developed using nanotechnology and recognised at a national science competition.
“Diarrhoea is a child killer disease,” he said, adding that the National Assembly allocated funds in the 2025 budget to support its development.
The DG noted that while NNMDA was founded in 1997, its recent transformation has boosted productivity and innovation. The agency now works with natural resources from agriculture, soil, plants, water, and even insects.
One notable product comes from the spine of fish, he revealed.
At the event, the agency also launched a malaria prevention kit containing Amarus herbal tea and mosquito repellent cream.
Dignitaries from the police, military, immigration, and health sectors were in attendance.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), hepatitis B and C cause 1.3 million deaths and 2.2 million new infections globally each year. In Nigeria, over 20 million people are estimated to live with hepatitis, yet more than 80% are unaware of their status.
