The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the safety, quality, and efficacy of medicinal and aromatic plant-based products across Nigeria.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, spoke at the #BeWildForNature Youth Network event organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to mark 2026 World Wildlife Day in Abuja on Wednesday.

The event with the theme “Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods,” focused on the role of young people in promoting conservation awareness and sustainable use of medicinal plants.

Ms Adeyeye was represented by the Deputy Director of the International Strategic Partnership and Trade Office at NAFDAC, Chizoba Maduagwuna. 

She said that NAFDAC’s mandate includes regulating food, drugs, cosmetics, chemicals, packaged water, medical devices, and herbal medicines, ensuring all meet strict safety and quality standards.

Ms Adeyeye highlighted the historical significance of medicinal plants as sources of healing, wellness, and cultural identity, emphasising their continued relevance in addressing modern health challenges and driving public health solutions.

With rising global demand for herbal medicines and natural wellness products, Ms Adeyeye described medicinal plants as strategic national assets capable of supporting local industries and strengthening Nigeria’s bio-economy.

She said NAFDAC ensured all plant-based products, whether raw or processed, such as phytomedicines, essential oils, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics, met stringent safety, quality, and efficacy standards.

She also underscored the economic potential of medicinal plants, noting they could create sustainable livelihoods, particularly in rural communities, while empowering women and youths and boosting local economies.

“Key areas of intervention include responsible cultivation, biodiversity protection, standardisation across the herbal value chain, research, innovation, and collaboration with academia, industry, and research institutions,” she said.

Ms Adeyeye cited initiatives such as the Nigerian Herbal Medicinal Products Committee, the Nigerian Essential Medicinal Plant List, and the Nigerian Herbal Pharmacopoeia as critical tools in regulating and promoting safe plant-based products.

She emphasised the importance of public awareness on the safe use of herbal products and regulatory support for ethical, evidence-based commercialisation to maximise benefits while safeguarding health.

The NAFDAC DG warned that Nigeria’s biodiversity was a valuable national resource that must be protected through sustainable practices and strong regulatory systems to preserve cultural heritage and sustain livelihoods.

She reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to regulating, promoting research, and ensuring safe use of plant-based products for food, medicine, cosmetics, and industrial purposes.

Mrs Adeyeye stated, “Our goal is to transform biodiversity into safe, regulated products and economic resources while safeguarding public health.”

(NAN)