In a decisive step toward bringing structure and credibility to Nigeria’s vast traditional medicine landscape, the Federal Government has begun the systematic documentation of traditional medicine practitioners across the country.
The initiative, led by the Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA), aims to establish a comprehensive digital registry that captures practitioners, their locations, areas of practice and the products they offer. The move is widely seen as a foundational reform designed to professionalise a sector that a good percentage of Nigerians rely on daily.
Speaking in Abuja, the Director-General of the NNMDA, Prof. Martins Emeje, described the project as long overdue, noting that traditional medicine remains an alternative form of healthcare in Nigeria despite operating largely outside formal regulatory systems.
“About 80 per cent of Nigerians depend on traditional medicine, particularly in rural communities where access to conventional healthcare is limited,” Emeje said. “Yet, the ecosystem has lacked basic organisation, visibility and verification.”
From Informal Practice to Verified Records
According to Emeje, the agency began building the digital database roughly eight months ago. The process goes beyond simple registration, incorporating physical verification of practitioners’ clinics, services and products. Once verified, practitioners will be issued unique identification numbers, similar to licence numbers used by professionals in orthodox healthcare.
“This is how credibility is built,” he explained. “In pharmacy, a licence number instantly tells you who I am, where I practise and whether I am certified. Traditional medicine in Nigeria has lacked that clarity, and we are now addressing it.”
The documentation exercise is designed to cover all 774 local government areas nationwide. A pilot phase has already been completed in Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State, serving as the model for nationwide rollout.
Standardisation as the First Pillar
Emeje emphasised that documentation is the cornerstone of standardisation, which in turn will enable regulation, research, education and integration into the broader healthcare system.
“Once we know how many practitioners there are, where they operate and what services they provide, we can plan better, regulate better and support the sector more effectively,” he said.
The pilot project is expected to be presented to the National Assembly for consideration, with full implementation dependent on funding approval.
Aligning Nigeria with Global Best Practice
The reform drive comes on the heels of Emeje’s appointment in December 2025 as Co-Chair of the World Health Organisation’s Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine. He said the Nigerian initiative aligns closely with WHO’s global push for member states to develop credible databases for traditional medicine practitioners.
Nigeria, he added, is already benefiting from its active role in shaping international policy discussions on traditional medicine, positioning the country as a key African voice in the sector.
Research, Education and Integration
Beyond documentation, Emeje highlighted chronic underinvestment in traditional medicine research, noting that global funding remains below one per cent despite the sector serving the majority of healthcare users worldwide.
“Research funding in traditional medicine does not reflect its real-world importance,” he said, adding that Nigeria intends to leverage WHO’s renewed focus to attract funding, generate scientific evidence and validate the safety and efficacy of natural medicines.
Education and standard-setting are also central to the strategy and that is why the NNMDA School of Traditional Medicine is working toward accreditation and quality assurance for training programmes, with the goal of preserving indigenous knowledge while strengthening it through research and formal learning.
“Our objective is not to replace traditional knowledge, but to recognise it, document it and help it thrive within a structured system,” Emeje said.
He pointed to countries like China and India as examples of how traditional medicine can be successfully integrated into national healthcare systems through deliberate policy, education and research support.
As Nigeria advances this agenda, Emeje said his role at the WHO would help ensure that both Nigeria and Africa play a more influential role in global collaborations, policy formulation and capacity building in traditional medicine.
“Traditional medicine has always been part of who we are,” he said. “What we are doing now is giving it the structure it needs to grow, gain trust and contribute even more meaningfully to national and global health.”
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