• Urge passage of council bill to standardise practice
Stakeholders have renewed calls for documentation and stronger regulation to reposition traditional medicine as an evidence-based practice and a credible part of Nigeria’s healthcare system.
They argued that with proper investment and integration, traditional medicine could preserve cultural heritage while also driving innovation, drug discovery, and global recognition.
The call was made in Lagos during activities to mark African Traditional Medicine Day, celebrated yearly under the auspices of the World Health Organisation (WHO), with this year’s theme: “Strengthening the Evidence Base for Traditional Medicine.”
The stakeholders urged the speedy passage of the Traditional Medicine Council Bill, warning that without a clear legal framework to regulate practice and promote research, Nigeria cannot standardise or fully harness the sector’s benefits. They stressed that traditional medicine, if properly developed, could serve as both a cultural asset and an economic driver.
Director-General of the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA), Prof. Martins Emeje, noted that despite its deep roots in African society, traditional medicine remains stigmatised. He explained that while universities train doctors, pharmacists, and nurses under established councils, traditional medicine practitioners operate without similar structures.
He said the NNMDA is mandated to provide academic training in natural medicine, while a proposed Traditional Medicine Council would regulate professional conduct and practice. Emeje highlighted the agency’s recent achievements, including Nigeria’s first national digital database of traditional medicine practitioners, an accredited College of Natural Medicine, and new short training courses and modules.
Delivering the keynote, neurotoxicologist and integrative medicine specialist, Dr John Tor-Agbidye, reaffirmed WHO’s position that traditional, complementary, and conventional medicine should work together rather than compete. He disclosed that about 70 per cent of Nigerians, including individuals in political and corporate leadership, rely on traditional medicine. However, he warned that the sector is hindered by poor documentation, weak regulation, inadequate training, and safety concerns.
“Traditional medicine is often handed down verbally without documentation, and most practitioners have little or no formal education. Documentation and training are critical to make traditional medicine evidence-based,” Tor-Agbidye said.
He traced global recognition of traditional medicine to the 1978 Alma-Ata Declaration on Primary Healthcare, which urged countries to integrate indigenous practices into national health systems. In Nigeria, he said, the Ministry of Health’s Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM) Division has made important strides, including developing a national policy, producing herbal pharmacopoeia, compiling a medicinal plant list, and partnering with NAFDAC and the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) to validate remedies.
He praised universities in Benin, Zaria, and Sokoto for incorporating herbal medicine training, and urged others to follow suit. “We need certified training institutions, apprenticeship pathways, and integration of toxicology, safety, and dosage standards into practice,” he stressed.
Tor-Agbidye, however, cautioned that the sector cannot reach its potential without a clear legal framework. He urged the National Assembly to expedite passage of the Traditional Medicine Council Bill to provide the mandate to regulate practice, enforce ethical standards, and guide research and training.
He added that with Nigeria’s rich biodiversity and growing global demand for natural remedies, opportunities abound. But without funding, collaboration, and political will, the country risks lagging behind nations such as China and India, which have successfully integrated traditional medicine into mainstream healthcare.
“Traditional medicine can evolve into a credible, globally valued healthcare asset. The challenges are there, but the opportunities outweigh them. A lot is already being done, but more investment, research, and collaboration are needed,” he concluded.
