The Nigerian Natural Medicines Development Agency, NNMDA, says research on the production of local pharmaceutical grade starch has got to 85 percent completion. Director-general of the NNMDA, Prof Martins Emeje, disclosed this last in Abuja, while giving an update on some projects being implemented by the agency. NNMDA has had in 2024 held a consultative engagement to encourage stakeholders on the indigenous production of pharmaceutical-grade starch.
Speaking at the meeting themed ‘Unlocking Nigeria’s Potential: Natural Medicine, Cassava Cultivation and Pharmaceutical-Grade Starch Production for Health, Wealth Creation, Student, Youth and Women Empowerment-The NNMDA Approach,” Emeje said Nigeria was the largest producer of cassava in the world, with only Brazil competing for that position.
Noting that Nigeria kept importing cassava-based materials for medicines, Emeje said the agency had made significant progress in the production of pharmaceutical grade starch which was a critical raw material in drug manufacturing. He explained that upon assuming office as director-general, he engaged the National Assembly, particularly the Senate, to seek support for local production of pharmaceutical grade starch. “I submitted a proposal then and letting them know that there is no great deal in making pharmaceutical grade starch and that we needed support.
“Today, we have wonderful results. We have made our pharmaceutical grade starch, we have quality evaluation, and we are 85 per cent nearing completion. “We are going to set up the first public government owned pharmaceutical grade starch making facility in Nigeria. “We got funding from the Senate, went into the field, got cassava, we did a lot of studies, generated our data and now we are at the stage were we will go into pilot scale up to establish our own facility.
“In the next one to two years we will not just be presenting pharmaceutical grade starch to the country but we will be presenting both the facility where it will be made,’’ Emeje said. On how progressive their College of Traditional Medicine had been, Emeje said the establishment of the college marked a major milestone in the formalisation of traditional medicine education in the country.
He said the agency enrolled about 35 students and were set to graduate them in the year. “We have about 35 students and the college has prospects of growing to admit more, that is if science and technology is anything to go by.
