The Federal Government has called on traditional medicine practitioners in Nigeria to subject their products and practices to rigorous scientific evaluation to ensure safety, efficacy, and wider acceptance.
Minister of State for Health, Dr Adekunle Salako, made the appeal in Abuja during the commemoration of the 2025 African Traditional Medicine Day. He emphasised that research and clinical studies remain critical to dispelling doubts surrounding traditional medicine and to paving the way for its integration into the national healthcare system.
“Evidence is the bridge between belief and policy. It is what will allow traditional medicines to move from the periphery to the mainstream of healthcare delivery, not just in Nigeria, but also across the continent,” Salako stated. “Our goal is to promote documentation and standardisation of practices, and ultimately achieve full integration of evidence-based traditional medicine into our health system.”
The minister recalled that long before the introduction of modern medical systems, Nigerian communities relied on herbal remedies, spiritual healing, and indigenous knowledge to manage diseases. He noted that traditional medicine continues to serve as the primary and sometimes the only source of healthcare for millions of Nigerians, particularly those in rural and underserved communities.
Salako further observed that the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need for resilient and diversified health systems while reigniting global interest in natural and indigenous remedies. He urged African nations to seize this renewed momentum to project traditional medicine onto the global stage, with scientific evidence as the key to credibility.
He stressed that Nigeria’s traditional medicine sector holds vast potential to contribute to the Federal Government’s agenda of unlocking the healthcare value chain through local manufacturing, job creation, economic growth, and improved healthcare access.
