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‘Nigeria Has Over 10,000 Species Of Traditional Medicinal Plants’

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The Minister of State, Health, Sen. Adeleke Mamora, has said that Nigeria was endowed with over 10,000 species of medicinal plants.
He also said the country had good arable land and climatic conditions for harnessing the potentials of the plants, for health, social, economic and other benefits.
Mamora said this in Abuja at the opening of a conference on Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM).
The conference was organised by TCAM, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) identified medicinal plant as the whole or part of a plant that contains bioactive substances that can be used for therapeutic purposes or serve as precursors for the synthesis of drugs.
Nigeria has a full-fledged TCAM Department in its Ministry of Health responsible for the formulation, review and implementation of policies and guidelines for research, development and regulation of herbal medicines.
The country launched the Traditional Medicine Policy in 2007, which has as its key objective, harnessing the potentials and economic benefits of TCAM.
The country also has a compendium of medicinal plants, the Nigerian Herbal Pharmacopeia (NHP), first published in 2008 and currently under review.
The compendium contained medicinal plants used for the safe treatment and management of various diseases.
Mamora said the conference should promote the cultivation and utilisation of medicinal plants as raw materials for the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries.
He said this was to create short, medium and long-term value chain and attract agricultural and manufacturing loans.
The minister said this was important, as Nigeria and other African countries currently benefitted minimally from the global herbal medicine market projected at $7trillion by 2050.
He said the market had been dominated by China, India, US, Germany and Thailand.
“Significantly, the cultivation of medicinal plants and commercialisation of herbal medicines will attract huge economic benefits to Nigeria.
“Especially in the following areas: increase foreign exchange earnings and wealth creation, alleviate poverty through the creation of job opportunities in areas of cultivation and conservation of medicinal plants in Nigeria,” he added.
He assured that the ministry remained committed to developing and promoting traditional, complementary and alternative medicine in Nigeria.
He said stakeholders had initiated sensitisation programmes and activities to promote the cultivation, commercialisation and use of indigenous medicinal plants in the country.
It “facilitated the passage of the TCAM Council Bill into Law, to effectively coordinate and regulate TCAM practice in the country.
The stakeholders also “inaugurated an Expert Committee that is currently working out modalities for the take-off of TCAM Institute for the training of TCAM practitioners in Nigeria”.
A professor of Phytomedicine from the University of Benin, Prof. MacDonald Idu, in a keynote address, said if properly harnessed, the value of traditional medicinal plants in Nigeria would hit N1trillion by 2025.
He put the current market value of traditional medicinal plants conservatively at about N200billion, regretting that not much attention has been paid to harness the sector.
“We talked about $200billion. It is conservative. I’m serious. Other forms of literature that I have also read, we are going to hit about N1trillion by 2025. I know what that means. That’s a lot of money”, he said.
Idu said Nigeria must show commitment towards diversifying the economy.
“Nigeria I’m sorry, we don’t walk the talk. We talk a lot, but we don’t walk the talk. So, my point of interest is to drag the hearts of our people to realise that we should diversify our economy.
“We don’t have any reason to be poor. That’s the real truth. We don’t have any reason to import everything that we need to survive. It’s already here. Why do you have them here?
“So, I believe that if we’re able to set up that platform again, and then we’re able to organize ourselves and organize the traditional medicine practitioners and producers, we should be able to raise enough money for this country to move forward,” Idu added.
Earlier, the First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, expressed regret over the low level of utilisation of the over 10,000 species of medicinal plants in the country, in spite of its huge need for the production of drugs, cosmetics and other essential products.
Buhari expressed the present administration’s commitment to boosting the commercial cultivation of such plants for the health, economic and social benefits of the people.
She said it would also open new areas for wealth and job creation for the teeming youths of the country.
The conference is expected to bring together experts and other stakeholders in various fields of TCAM to brainstorm on the importance of indigenous medicinal plants to healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

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HoS Hails Fubara Over Provision of Accommodation for Permanent Secretaries

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7 days ago

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February 2, 2026

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The Head of Service (HoS) of Rivers State, Dr. Mrs. Inyingi S. I. Brown, has commended Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, for approving befitting accommodation for Permanent Secretaries in the state.
This commendation was contained in a press release made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt.
According to the Head of Service, Governor Fubara has continued to demonstrate uncommon commitment to the welfare of civil servants in Rivers State, stressing that such gestures underscore his people-oriented leadership style. She urged civil servants across the state to remain supportive of the governor’s administration in order to sustain good governance and effective public service delivery.
Speaking on behalf of the Body of Permanent Secretaries, Dr. Brown congratulated Governor Fubara on the occasion of his 51st birthday, describing him as “a Governor who leads by serving.”
She further praised the governor’s service-driven and people-centred leadership approach, noting that it has significantly contributed to institutional stability and improved efficiency within the state’s public service. Special appreciation was expressed for the approval of a befitting accommodation complex for Permanent Secretaries, which she said reflects the governor’s commitment to staff welfare and enhanced productivity.
As part of activities to mark the governor’s birthday, the Body of Permanent Secretaries announced the sponsorship of 329 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) forms for indigent students across the state.
A breakdown of the initiative shows that 319 forms will be distributed across the 319 political wards in Rivers State, while five forms are allocated to non-indigenes and five forms to persons living with disabilities.
Interested applicants are advised to contact the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, for further details.
The Body of Permanent Secretaries wished Governor Fubara continued good health, divine wisdom, and greater accomplishments in his service to the people of Rivers State.
By John Bibor
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Allegation of Disrespect to President Tinubu Unfounded — Rivers Government

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7 days ago

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February 2, 2026

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The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to a statement credited to an acclaimed Rivers State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), purportedly authored by one Bestman Innocent Amadi, alleging that the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, removed the official portrait of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, from the Government House, Port Harcourt.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Rivers State Government wishes to categorically state that there is no policy, directive, or intention on the part of the government or the Governor that disrespects the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or undermines the authority of the Federal Government.
On the contrary, the Rivers State Government, under the leadership of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, currently enjoys a robust, cordial, and collaborative relationship with the Federal Government, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Renewed Hope Agenda—a partnership that is already yielding positive and tangible benefits for the people of Rivers State.
Consequently, the insinuation that the Governor acted out of “ingratitude” or “disrespect” is misleading, irresponsible, inflammatory, and entirely unsupported by verifiable facts, and should therefore be disregarded by the public.
It is regrettable that a body expected to promote youth unity, peace, and responsible engagement would resort to incendiary language, personal attacks, and unsubstantiated claims capable of overheating the polity at a time when Rivers State requires calm, dialogue, and mature leadership.
The Rivers State Government therefore calls on well-meaning members of the public, particularly its esteemed and hardworking youths, to disregard and dissociate themselves from individuals or groups bent on advancing divisive rhetoric and falsehoods for political purposes.
Rivers State belongs to all of us. Political differences must never be allowed to override truth, civility, peace, and the collective pursuit of progress.
Members of the public are further urged to remain vigilant and avoid lending credence to inflammatory statements or the activities of fifth columnists pursuing dubious agendas aimed at sowing discord.
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Rivers Government Dismisses Allegations of Disrespect to President Tinubu

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7 days ago

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February 2, 2026

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The Rivers State Government has dismissed as unfounded and misleading allegations that Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara removed the official portrait of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the Government House in Port Harcourt.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the state government reacted to claims credited to an acclaimed Rivers State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), describing the allegation as false, irresponsible, and unsupported by any verifiable facts.
The government clarified that it has no policy, directive, or intention that disrespects the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or undermines the authority of the Federal Government. It emphasized that Governor Fubara maintains a cordial, respectful, and collaborative relationship with President Tinubu and the Federal Government.
According to the statement, the relationship between Rivers State and the Federal Government has grown stronger under the Renewed Hope Agenda, with tangible benefits and positive impacts already being felt by residents of the state.
The Rivers State Government described insinuations that the governor acted out of “ingratitude” or “disrespect” as deliberately provocative, noting that such claims are capable of misleading the public and unnecessarily heating up the polity.
It further expressed concern that an organization expected to promote youth unity and peace would engage in what it termed incendiary language, personal attacks, and unsubstantiated accusations at a time when the state requires calm, dialogue, and responsible leadership.
The government called on well-meaning members of the public, especially the youths of Rivers State, to disregard the claims and dissociate themselves from individuals or groups spreading divisive rhetoric and falsehoods for political purposes.
Reaffirming its commitment to peace, unity, and progress, the state government stressed that political differences must never be allowed to override truth, civility, and the collective interest of the people.
Members of the public were also urged to remain vigilant and not give attention to inflammatory statements or individuals described as fifth columnists bent on causing division within the state.
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