By Ijeoma Olorunfemi 22.12.2025
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has appointed Prof. Martins Emeje, Director-General of the Nigerian Natural Medicines Development Agency (NNMDA), as a member of its Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (STAG-TM).
Prof. Emeje was appointed alongside 19 other experts from different parts of the world.
Emeje was also appointed a Co-Chair by the group members at the just concluded WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine held between Dec. 17 and Dec. 19 in New Delhi, India.
The establishment of the group represented a significant step in implementing the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025-2034.
Emeje, speaking Monday in Abuja, said his appointment to the WHO STAG-TM was to ensure that Nigeria, alongside other African countries, aligns with global standards in the practice of traditional medicine.
“This appointment is the highest form of honour one could receive in this area and I am grateful to WHO, to my country and parents.
“With this appointment, I see the natural medicine ecosystem blooming because I am not going to be sitting in meetings where we are discussing how traditional, complementary and integrative medicine will develop in the entire world while my country will not develop.
“This is a recognition for West Africa and a challenge thrown to us to wake up from where we are now because Africa generally is lagging behind,” he said.
He added that the recognition was as a result of hard work put into the country’s traditional medicine ecosystem and the Federal Government was beginning to pay attention to the sector.
Emeje recalled that early in the year, the House of Representatives passed a resolution on the need for Nigeria to prioritise natural medicine and President Bola Tinubu had also called on African leaders to prioritise local research as solutions to the continent’s problems.
The group will advise the WHO on global directions for traditional, complementary and integrative medicine, as well as appropriate approaches for integrating traditional and complementary medicine into health systems.
Members are also expected to provide technical support to the WHO in setting norms and standards for traditional, complementary and integrative medicine to ensure its proper use.
In addition, the group will provide scientific support to the WHO in shaping the research agenda for traditional, complementary and integrative medicine, among other functions.NAN