NAFDAC, NNMDA collaborate to advance scientific herbal medicine research
By Blessing Kalu
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has partnered with the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency to develop scientifically validated and globally competitive herbal medicines through well-structured clinical trials.
In a statement issued on Sunday by NAFDAC’s media consultant, Sayo Akintola, the Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said Nigeria’s herbal medicine practitioners have the expertise to produce safe and effective natural remedies that can meet international standards. She, however, emphasised the importance of clinical research to confirm the safety and efficacy of such products. According to the World Health Organisation, about 80 per cent of Africa’s population depends on herbal remedies for primary healthcare. Adeyeye explained that NAFDAC’s initiative seeks to ensure that indigenous herbal products not only work effectively but also comply with global scientific and regulatory standards.
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She noted that the agency currently grants two levels of approval for herbal medicinesan initial listing approval after safety tests, and full approval following successful clinical trials proving efficacy. Adeyeye highlighted the high cost of clinical trials as a major hurdle discouraging many practitioners from pursuing full validation. “If you have a herbal medicine but cannot scientifically prove its efficacy and safety, NAFDAC cannot grant it full registration,” she said, adding that while thousands of herbal medicines have been listed, only a few have undergone full trials.
The NAFDAC chief stressed that herbal medicines must be subjected to scientific evaluation to determine safe dosage levels, noting that natural products can still pose health risks if improperly used. Adeyeye said the partnership with NNMDA aims to identify promising herbal products that meet regulatory benchmarks and to support their clinical testing for possible inclusion in the national formulary.
She also revealed that NAFDAC is working to secure funding to assist practitioners in conducting trials, which remain capital-intensive. According to her, the agency continues to engage herbal practitioners through regular stakeholder meetings to promote adherence to best practices in product registration, safety, and efficacy.