During the AB Pharmaceuticals Business Summit held at **[Afe Babalola University (ABUAD)](https://abuad.edu.ng)** in Ado‑Ekiti, university officials appealed for a decisive move away from imported herbal medicines, stressing that Nigeria must rely more on its own scientific capacity and traditional resources.
**Key points from the summit**
- The university showcased three of its own formulations – AB Mal, ABUAD Virucidine and AB Health Animation 250 mg – as examples of locally produced alternatives.
- Deputy Director of AB Pharmaceutical Services, Afolabi Oluwatoyin, said the event’s purpose was to craft a marketing strategy that would bring these products to Nigerian consumers.
- Vice‑Chancellor Professor Smaranda Olarinde highlighted the need for a collaborative ecosystem involving universities, industry, regulators, health professionals, investors and the public.
- Peter Ajayi, chairman of the **[Association of Pharmaceutical Products Marketers of Nigeria (APPMAN)](https://appman.org.ng)** in Ekiti State, pledged the association’s full support to ensure the products reach the market.
- Oluwatoyin warned that daily imports of foreign traditional medicines drain significant economic resources and called for a “revolution” in consumer attitude.
**What is the university proposing?**
ABUAD argues that Nigeria’s continued reliance on Chinese and Indian herbal products represents both economic and medical dependence. The institution urges the country to build confidence in locally manufactured remedies, boost scientific research into traditional therapies, and develop robust marketing channels to make home‑grown products competitive.
**Why focus on traditional medicine?**
Traditional medicine, defined as health practices rooted in indigenous knowledge and natural resources, has long served Nigerian communities before the advent of modern allopathic medicine. **[Traditional medicine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_medicine)** remains a valuable asset that can be modernised through rigorous research and quality control.
**How will the shift be achieved?**
Oluwatoyin emphasized that success hinges on strategic partnerships and effective promotion. She quoted, “The ultimate reason we are here today is to establish a marketing plan that will help us take these products to the Nigerian people. We have served the Indians enough, and we have served the Chinese enough.”
**What role will regulators and investors play?**
The Vice‑Chancellor called for an integrated framework where regulatory bodies, investors and academia work together to translate laboratory innovations into market‑ready medicines, thereby reducing import dependence and fostering national self‑reliance.
**What is the expected impact?**
If Nigeria embraces locally produced herbal medicines, the country could retain billions of naira currently spent on imports, create jobs in the pharmaceutical sector, and improve access to affordable, culturally appropriate treatments for its population.