In Nigeria, NAFDAC & NIPRID to start approving herbal medicines

The Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr Paul Orhii, yesterday said the agency was ready to partner the Nigeria Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRID) to approve herbal medicines produced in the country.

The NAFDAC chief spoke in Abuja at the public presentation of six medicinal plants with books packaged by the Nigerian Medicinal Plants Development Company (NMPDC).

He said the agency has critical role to play in the exportation of agricultural produce, adding that better concentration would be given to medicinal plants that are capable of boosting the nation’s well-being. 

Orhii said: “Later, between NAFDAC and NIPRID, we will give full approval to herbal medicines that are made in Nigeria. We will check safety and efficacy and we would give them approval; the ones that would harness the potentials of herbal medicines that Nigeria have, for health, environment and also for commercialisation.”

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr. Akinwumi Adesina said indigenous medicinal plants have the potential to generate huge revenue for the government, adding that they would generate a market value of $75 billion by 2015.