By Nafisat Makinde
The global phytomedicine market is fast approaching half a trillion US dollars, and Nigeria is poised to capitalize on this opportunity. On Monday, May 5, 2025, the Ministerial Committee on the Commercialization of Phytomedicines Development was inaugurated to harness the country’s rich plant biodiversity and contribute to the nation’s economic growth.
In his address, Dr. Obi Adigwe, Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), emphasized the vast opportunities presented by Nigeria’s thousands of plants with ethnomedicinal properties. With the global phytomedicine market on the cusp of reaching $500 billion, Dr. Adigwe stressed the need for Nigeria to move beyond the periphery and capitalize on this strategic sector.
The Ministerial Committee aims to leverage the political will generated by the Presidential Initiative to Unlock Value Chains and the recent Presidential Executive Order on Pharma and Allied Sectors. This will enable the commercialization of phytomedicines in a sustainable, competitive, multi-faceted, and inclusive manner.
Dr. Adigwe highlighted NIPRD’s evidence-based approaches, including the Contextual Processing Protocol (CPP), a bottom-up framework that enables rural women and youth to ethically and scientifically process indigenous plants into medicinal products. The establishment of Regional Centres of Excellence across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones will also decentralize innovation, stimulate local economies, and foster inclusive development.
The Ministerial Committee’s role is transformational, aiming to lead every step of the value chain, from discovery and formulation to clinical validation, quality assurance, and global export. The Committee will work to create high-value employment, build robust capacity, secure revenue streams, and improve health outcomes for Nigerian citizens.
Dr. Adigwe expressed confidence that the collective efforts of the Committee members and stakeholders will catalyze a paradigm shift in how Nigeria develops, deploys, and delivers healthcare solutions for its people. The inauguration of the Ministerial Committee marks a bold and strategic step towards realizing Nigeria’s potential in the phytomedicine sector.
