The Federal Government has unveiled a strategic initiative aimed at diversifying the nation’s economy and enhancing innovation in healthcare by tapping into the economic and therapeutic value of Nigeria’s rich biodiversity through the development of the phytomedicine value chain.
Speaking during the inauguration of the ministerial committee tasked with driving the initiative in Abuja, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako emphasised that Nigeria stands on the brink of transforming its vast reserves of medicinal plants into a vibrant engine for economic growth and improved healthcare delivery.
Salako noted that while local communities have long relied on medicinal plants for traditional healing, these resources have yet to be fully harnessed in a way that benefits the broader economy and national health system. He said the newly launched Phytomedicine Value Chain Initiative aims to change that narrative by formally integrating traditional medicine into Nigeria’s economic and healthcare frameworks.
“This initiative is both a health and socio-economic policy,” Salako said. “It supports the broader goals of the current administration, which include achieving Universal Health Coverage, creating sustainable jobs and accelerating economic diversification.”
He explained that the commercialisation of the country’s phytomedicine sector holds great promise for job creation across the entire value chain – ranging from plant conservation, cultivation and harvesting to industrial-scale production and distribution of herbal medicinal products.
According to the minister, tapping into the full potential of phytomedicine would not only strengthen local health systems but also position Nigeria to claim a significant stake in the rapidly growing global phytomedicine market.
A critical aspect of the effort, he added, is the establishment of a ministerial committee mandated to develop a comprehensive commercialisation framework. This includes proposing relevant policy reforms, designing regulatory structures that guarantee safety and efficacy and fostering a conducive business environment to attract investors and innovators.
Also speaking at the event, the director-general of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Dr. Obi Adigwe underscored the urgency of Nigeria’s participation in the global phytomedicine industry, which is valued at nearly 500 billion dollars.
“For a country blessed with such immense biodiversity, continued underrepresentation in this market is no longer acceptable,” Adigwe said.
He pointed out that recent presidential directives, such as the Presidential Initiative to Unlock Value Chains and the Executive Order on Pharma and Allied Sectors, have already laid the foundation for real progress. Adigwe added that NIPRD has built a strong base through years of research and evidence-based policy design, positioning Nigeria to scale up and bring its phytomedicines to both domestic and international markets.
Phytomedicine refers to plant-derived products used in the prevention, treatment, and management of diseases. In Nigeria, plants such as neem (dogonyaro), bitter leaf, scent leaf and moringa have long been used in traditional medicine and are now being recognised for their commercial and therapeutic potential.
