Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) has announced the development of Herb 25, a NAFDAC-registered herbal anti-malaria medicine created by Prof. Hadiza Nuhu after more than a decade of scientific research, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to advance indigenous healthcare solutions.
The herbal medicine was developed over a 12-year research period and is designed to treat chloroquine-resistant malaria, a form of the disease that has posed treatment challenges due to resistance to older anti-malaria medicines. Herb 25 is formulated from medicinal plants traditionally used in Nigeria for malaria management and is packaged in tea bags, allowing users to prepare the treatment with hot water for convenient administration.
The achievement represents one of the latest contributions to locally driven pharmaceutical innovation as Nigerian researchers continue to explore scientifically validated herbal medicines for diseases with high public health burdens. Brandspur Brand News reports that university officials described Herb 25 as the first university-produced anti-malaria herbal medicine of its kind in Nigeria to receive regulatory registration for use.
Prof. Nuhu is an associate professor in the Department of Pharmacognosy and Drug Development at Ahmadu Bello University and earned her doctorate from the institution. Her research focuses on the development of medicines derived from natural products, particularly those with potential for addressing diseases prevalent across Nigeria and other malaria-endemic regions.
Beyond her academic role, she is a member of the Nigerian Society of Pharmacognosy and serves as the research director of the Association of Commonwealth Traditional Medicine Practitioners, West Africa. The registration of Herb 25 by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) adds to ongoing efforts to promote evidence-based herbal medicines while expanding treatment options developed through Nigerian research institutions.
