The Federal Government has called for rigorous scientific research, effective regulation and stronger quality assurance in the traditional medicine sector to ensure the safety and efficacy of products and practices used by Nigerians.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made the call in Abuja on Monday during the commemoration of the 2026 African Traditional Medicine Day.
The event was held with the theme, “Around Research and Development in Traditional Medicine towards Achieving Universal Health Coverage in the African Region.”
Salako said the Federal Government was committed to repositioning traditional medicine as an important component of Nigeria’s health and economic development agenda, stressing the need to generate evidence capable of validating safe and effective traditional medicine interventions.
He said the commemoration provided an opportunity to reflect on measures needed to strengthen research, improve quality assurance and protect Nigerians from unsafe practices while harnessing the potential of traditional medicine to advance Universal Health Coverage.
“The future of traditional medicine must be built on rigorous research, effective regulation, quality assurance, ethical practice, documentation and continuous evaluation,” the minister said.
Salako noted that the Nigerian Traditional Medicine Policy recognised the importance of the sector and provided a framework for its appropriate development and integration into the national healthcare system.
He, however, warned that cultural acceptance should not be mistaken for scientific evidence, insisting that traditional medicine products and practices must undergo scientific evaluation to establish their safety, efficacy and quality.
“The government is clear that cultural acceptance alone cannot constitute scientific evidence,” he stated.
The minister explained that the Department of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare was established to develop and implement policies, promote the development and commercialisation of Nigerian traditional medicine, and facilitate its integration into the national health system.
He said the Federal Government had taken steps to strengthen the sector, including the unveiling in 2025 of the Strategic Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Traditional Medicine Policy and the Code of Ethics and Practice for Traditional Medicine Practitioners.
According to him, the initiatives were aimed at improving standardisation, professional conduct, safety, quality assurance and evidence-based practice.
Salako said the government would continue to collaborate with national and international partners on research, capacity building and knowledge exchange, adding that Nigeria must move beyond acknowledging the importance of traditional medicine to establishing systems for validating, regulating, developing and integrating proven interventions into the healthcare system.
He said the country’s approach must be deliberate and balanced by preserving indigenous knowledge while applying modern scientific standards, protecting community intellectual property, promoting innovation and expanding access without compromising safety.
The minister identified strengthening research and evidence generation, regulation and quality assurance, documentation and preservation of indigenous knowledge, local production and innovation, and deeper integration of safe and effective traditional medicine into conventional healthcare as government priorities.
He urged traditional medicine practitioners to embrace research, documentation, ethical practice and collaboration, while calling on researchers and academics to intensify scientific investigations and translate their findings into practical health solutions.
Salako also charged regulatory agencies with developing and enforcing frameworks capable of guaranteeing the safety, quality and efficacy of traditional medicine products.
He encouraged the private sector and investors to explore opportunities in research, development, manufacturing and commercialisation of scientifically validated traditional medicine products.
The minister further called on development partners and international organisations to support African-led research, strengthen capacity building and promote equitable partnerships, stressing that the interests of patients and the public must remain central to the development of traditional medicine.
“Traditional medicine and modern medicine should not be viewed simply as competing systems. Evidence demonstrates that they can work together safely and effectively,” Salako said.
He stressed that both systems should become complementary components of a stronger, more responsive and people-centred healthcare system.
The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to harnessing Nigeria’s rich traditional medicine heritage while ensuring that medicines promoted to the public meet appropriate standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.
He urged stakeholders to use the 2026 African Traditional Medicine Day as a springboard for action by investing in research, strengthening institutions, protecting indigenous knowledge, supporting innovation and local production, and ensuring responsible regulation.
In her goodwill message, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women’s Health, Dr Adanna Steinacker, called for the preservation and promotion of Nigeria’s indigenous medical knowledge through research, regulation and quality assurance.
Steinacker said credible indigenous knowledge must be properly documented, protected and responsibly transmitted to future generations.
She stressed that preservation must go hand in hand with scientific research and development to establish safety, efficacy, appropriate dosage and possible interactions with conventional medicines.
According to her, research would not diminish traditional medicine but would help identify practices that work and translate beneficial knowledge into solutions capable of contributing to Universal Health Coverage.
On women’s health, Steinacker stressed the need to ensure that women have access to safe, respectful and evidence-based care throughout adolescence, the reproductive years, pregnancy, postpartum and menopause.
She cautioned that while traditional medicine could complement modern healthcare, it must not delay antenatal care, skilled delivery, emergency treatment or timely referral when required.
Steinacker said the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was committed to achieving Universal Health Coverage that is inclusive, culturally responsive and centred on the wellbeing of Nigerians.
The World Health Organisation Representative at the event, Dr Hamza Omotayo, also called for deeper research, regulation and quality assurance in traditional medicine to ensure its safe and effective integration into Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Omotayo noted that traditional medicine remained a vital source of healthcare for millions of people, particularly in communities where it was accessible, affordable, culturally accepted and trusted.
He commended Nigeria for the progress made in developing structures and policies to strengthen the sector, particularly the establishment of the Department of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
He also acknowledged the development of key instruments, including the National Traditional Medicine Policy and the Nigerian Pharmacopoeia, which support the standardisation of traditional medicines and practices.
The WHO representative urged stakeholders to accelerate the documentation and preservation of indigenous knowledge, promote local production and commercialisation of validated traditional medicine products, protect intellectual property rights and ensure equitable benefit-sharing with indigenous communities.
He disclosed that the WHO had previously collaborated with relevant Nigerian institutions to conduct capacity-building workshops, during which 40 traditional medicine practitioners were trained on the harvesting and preparation of standardised medicines.
Omotayo expressed optimism that stronger collaboration among government, traditional medicine practitioners, researchers, regulatory agencies and development partners would enable traditional medicine to contribute meaningfully to family healthcare, health security and the achievement of Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria.