The Federal Government’s renewed call for the standardisation of traditional medicine could not have come at a better time. While orthodox medicine will always remain relevant to the country’s healthcare agenda, traditional medicine has the potential not only to complement general medical practice but also to strengthen it. One advantage of traditional medicine is its nationwide availability; however, standardisation in practice is a major challenge, which can be addressed.
 
At the commemoration of the 2025 African Traditional Medicine Day in Abuja, the Minister of State for Health, Dr Iziaq Salako, urged traditional medicine practitioners to submit their products and practices to modern scientific scrutiny. His message was clear: only evidence-based remedies subjected to rigorous testing and validated by science will move traditional medicine from the periphery to the mainstream of healthcare delivery.
 
“Evidence,” he said, “is the bridge between belief and policy”, capturing the heart of the problem and the promise. Traditional medicine in Nigeria is not lacking in popularity; millions still rely on it, particularly in rural areas where modern healthcare is largely absent. What it lacks is credibility and global recognition, due largely to the absence of standardisation, clinical testing, and regulatory enforcement.
 
Nigeria has the potential to lead Africa in developing natural remedies. With more than 10,000 species of medicinal plants, the country possesses a vast natural pharmacy. But poor research investment and weak enforcement allow quackery to dominate. Street hawkers sell “miracle cures” in buses and markets, herbal concoctions are promoted on the radio without proof, and consumers are left vulnerable to dangerous or ineffective products.
 
The tragedy is that Nigeria has proven it can do better. The Niprisan breakthrough by the Nigerian Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) demonstrated that local plants could be transformed into a safe, effective treatment for sickle-cell disease.
 
Yet, rather than scaling up such efforts, the government let the project fade. Other nations with fewer natural resources like China and India, have turned their herbal traditions into global billion-dollar industries. Nigeria lags behind, not because of a lack of knowledge, but because of a lack of political will.
 
The rise of drug-resistant illnesses makes this conversation urgent. Malaria parasites are showing resistance to existing treatments, antibiotics are losing their effectiveness, and viruses continue to evolve. The COVID-19 pandemic also reminded the world of the importance of resilient healthcare systems and renewed interest in natural remedies. Nigeria cannot afford to ignore traditional medicine when the next global health challenge emerges.
 
Standardisation is not only about health. Nigeria spends billions annually importing pharmaceutical raw materials and finished drugs. This dependence drains foreign exchange and fuels inflation in medicine prices. If indigenous plants are properly cultivated, processed, and standardised, Nigeria could reduce its import bill, save scarce foreign exchange, and even generate revenue from exports.
 
The global market for herbal and natural remedies is expanding, and Nigeria could earn valuable foreign currency if its products meet international standards. Local manufacturing would also create jobs, promote entrepreneurship, and deepen the healthcare value chain.
 
The biggest obstacle remains quackery. Too many products are produced in unhygienic conditions, sold without labels, and advertised with reckless promises. Though NAFDAC registers herbal products, enforcement is inconsistent. Regulatory agencies are underfunded and overwhelmed. Without stricter rules, bogus products will continue to dominate, discrediting genuine practitioners and putting lives at risk.
 
The private sector must do more than chase profits. Herbal manufacturers should embrace ethical marketing, modern packaging, and scientific validation. Public–private partnerships could fund clinical trials and establish standardised herbaria. With discipline and investment, Nigeria could export tested products across Africa and the diaspora.
   
This depends on preserving the country’s biodiversity. Medicinal plants are disappearing under the pressures of deforestation, overharvesting, and urbanisation. The government must establish conservation programmes, seed banks, and sustainable cultivation schemes. Local communities should be included in eco-friendly harvesting to ensure benefits are shared fairly.
 
The minister’s call is welcome, but Nigerians have heard similar rhetoric before. For decades, policies on traditional medicine have been launched and then abandoned. What Nigeria needs now is sustained political will. That means funding research institutions, strengthening NAFDAC’s enforcement, protecting intellectual property, and integrating evidence-based traditional medicine into the national health system.
 
To succeed, first, the government must strengthen regulation and enforce product licensing. Without a credible regulatory framework, traditional medicine will remain vulnerable to abuse, quackery, and unsafe practices. Agencies such as NAFDAC and the Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency must be adequately funded and empowered to ensure that only products that meet safety and efficacy standards reach the market. Strict enforcement will not only protect consumers but also give legitimate practitioners the credibility they need to compete both locally and globally.
  
Second, scientific research and proper documentation must be prioritised. Nigeria is rich in medicinal plants, but without rigorous research, their full potential cannot be harnessed. The government should invest in universities, research institutes, and laboratories dedicated to studying and clinically validating traditional remedies. This will provide the evidence base that bridges belief and policy, turning anecdotal cures into standardised medicines that can be integrated into the health system and even exported internationally.
  
Third, practitioners must be certified and bound by ethical codes. At present, anyone can claim to be a traditional healer, which fuels mistrust and exposes patients to exploitation. Establishing a licensing system, continuous training programmes, and ethical guidelines will professionalise the practice. By doing so, the government can weed out impostors while supporting genuine healers who preserve valuable indigenous knowledge.
  
Fourth, the government must support local manufacturing and make products export-ready. Nigeria cannot continue to rely on imported pharmaceutical products when its own natural resources remain underutilised. By providing incentives such as tax reliefs, funding schemes, and industrial clusters for herbal product manufacturers, the government can stimulate job creation, strengthen the healthcare value chain, and save scarce foreign exchange. With the right quality standards, Nigeria’s herbal products can also find markets across Africa and beyond.
  
Finally, protecting biodiversity must be seen as a strategic national asset. The country’s medicinal plants are fast disappearing due to deforestation, urbanisation, and overharvesting. Unless conservation measures are put in place, Nigeria risks losing the very resources needed for a thriving traditional medicine industry. Protecting biodiversity is not just an environmental concern; it is an economic and healthcare necessity.
 
Traditional medicine is not a relic of the past; it is a vital resource for the present and future. It can address drug-resistant illnesses, expand healthcare access, create jobs, and save foreign exchange. But this will not happen through speeches alone.