Prof. Martins Emeje, the Director-General, Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA), says the agency has started deploying Nanotechnology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) into its natural medicines’ production.
He made this known at the ongoing 8th edition of the Science, Technology and Innovation Expo (STI Expo) in Abuja on Thursday.
Emeje, however, said that in spite of advancements in technology, natural medicine is always effective and has its pride of place.
According to him, technology, being an enabler, means it can be leveraged on to enhance natural medicines’ production.
He added that “today, we make medicines from herbs, and in this expo and the first time in Nigeria, a government agency has
a herbal product that Nanotechnology was used to make.
“We have a nano product here called Nanobere 50mg, which is a herbal product, made with the application of nanotechnology.
“We developed Nanobere, meaning Nanotechnology, while Bere is Abere, a plant used in South Western Nigeria to cure different diseases.
“We were able to carry out laboratory investigations and develop the drug in a nano particle form, useful for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections.”
The director-general explained that the use of AI in herbal medicine production is to reduce waste, time spent in the laboratory, reduce resources deployed into the laboratory.
He said the agency was also exploring Phytopharmaceuticals, the production of herbal medicines that rely on one or more plant components or active elements for effectiveness.
Another aspect of nanotechnology which the agency is also exploring is Pico Technology, a term used to refer to the fabrication of structures where atoms, devices are positioned with sub-nanometre accuracy.
He added that “we do a lot of work on computers before going to the lab and that is AI.
“We develop apps used in creating the information, the models, simulations for the delivery of herbal medicines to where we want it to function in the human system or in animal system.
“Technology can help us in delivering herbal services in better ways and today, we have Phytopharmaceuticals that are of Nanotechnology origin.
“We are moving into the Pico technology era now because in our agency, we already have a group that is working toward the application of nanotechnology and Pico technology to develop herbal medicines.’’
He said that the government’s belief in natural medicines saw the approval of some funds in the 2024 budget to deploy nanotechnology in the production of herbal products.
He recalled that the Minister of STI, Chief Uche Nnaji, launched Nanobere on March 8, which was already in the market.
He added that President Bola Tinubu is expected to launch 11 innovative products by NNMDA in October.
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He stressed the need for government and other stakeholders to prioritise science and technology for national development.
Meanwhile, the STI Expo holding from March 11 to March 15 has “STI: Solutions to National Economic Challenges” as its theme.
It has innovators, inventors, research institutes, universities, industry players, agencies of government, among others, participating. (NAN)
