ABUJA — The Senate on Tuesday witnessed a lively debate over the future of traditional medicine in Nigeria as Senator Garba Maidoki (APC, Kebbi South) urged lawmakers to include indigenous healthcare practices in a proposed law aimed at reforming the country’s food and drug regulatory system.
Maidoki made the call during deliberations on a bill seeking to repeal the Food, Drug and Related Products (Registration, Etc.) Act and the Food and Drug Act and replace them with a comprehensive legal framework for regulating food, medicines, vaccines, medical devices and other products that impact public health.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Sadiq Umar (APC, Kwara North), scaled second reading after receiving the support of lawmakers.
Contributing to the debate, Maidoki described the legislation as timely and necessary but argued that it would be incomplete if it failed to recognise traditional medicine, which he said remains the primary source of healthcare for many Nigerians, particularly those in rural communities.
According to him, indigenous medicine continues to serve millions of people who depend on herbal remedies and traditional healers for treatment.
“I rise to support this bill. It is apt, timely and intended to modernise the regulation of food and drugs in Nigeria,” he said.
“However, I have not seen any provision concerning traditional medicine. Most of our rural dwellers rely heavily on traditional medicine, and I think it is time we enacted laws that also recognise and support its practice.”
The senator argued that giving legal backing to traditional medicine would help reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported pharmaceuticals by encouraging the use of locally sourced medicinal herbs and indigenous healing practices.
He also urged the sponsor of the bill, a pharmacist, to work towards integrating traditional medicine practitioners into the country’s healthcare system.
“If this is done, we will reduce the cost of importing drugs from foreign countries and rely more on our indigenous herbs and medications prepared by our native doctors,” Maidoki said.
The lawmaker further maintained that some health conditions respond better to herbal treatment than conventional medicine.
He added that even public office holders sometimes seek traditional remedies when orthodox medicine fails to provide solutions.
“Even some of us who are senators sometimes go for herbal medicine to treat one ailment or another when modern medicine has no answer. Like when your ancestors decide to talk to you, you need a native doctor to intercede on your behalf,” he said.
His remarks triggered laughter across the Senate chamber.
Responding humorously, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said, “Thank you, Distinguished Senator Garba. The native doctor will intercede between you and the ancestor.”
Akpabio added that traditional African religious beliefs had long recognised the role of ancestors before the advent of Western influence.
“It’s actually baffling that this was part of the African religion, but when the white people came, they told us that we don’t need our ancestors. But from what you are saying, you are still using your ancestors,” he remarked, drawing further laughter from lawmakers.
Following the debate, the Senate passed the bill for second reading. If eventually enacted, the proposed legislation will consolidate Nigeria’s existing food and drug laws into a single regulatory framework governing food, medicines, vaccines, medical devices and other public health-related products, while lawmakers may still consider amendments as the bill progresses through subsequent legislative stages.
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