India and Nigeria have called for stronger cooperation in traditional and complementary medicine, with both countries highlighting the need for research, innovation, regulation and evidence-based healthcare
The call was made on Wednesday in Abuja at the 11th Ayurveda Day celebration organised by the High Commission of India in collaboration with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The 2026 celebration was held under the theme, “Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow,” with the tagline, “One Health, One Future: Integrating Ayurveda through Science, Evidence, Innovation and Holistic Care.”
Speaking at the event, India’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Abhishek Singh, said Ayurveda was more than an ancient Indian tradition, describing it as part of India’s vision for promoting global wellness.
He said Ayurveda places emphasis on the balance of the body, mind, lifestyle, diet and harmony with nature, adding that India was seeking to take the traditional system beyond cultural preservation to contribute to modern healthcare.
“For us, Ayurveda Day is much more than merely a celebration of India’s 5,000-year-old heritage. It is a vision for global wellness,” Singh said.
The envoy said Ayurveda was fundamentally focused on prevention and healthy living, noting that India and Nigeria shared a strong respect for traditional knowledge and indigenous healthcare practices.
“Why Ayurveda and why Nigeria? India and Nigeria share a deep respect for traditional knowledge. Nigeria has a rich tradition of herbal medicine and traditional healing,” he said.
According to him, the shared heritage provides an opportunity for both countries to deepen cooperation in preventive healthcare, nutrition, research and holistic wellbeing.
Singh also disclosed that the Indian government provides scholarships, training and capacity-building opportunities for Nigerian practitioners and researchers at institutions such as the All India Institute of Ayurveda in New Delhi and the National Institute of Ayurveda in Jaipur.
He said India offers between 30 and 40 fully funded Indian Council for Cultural Relations scholarships to Nigerian students every year, covering undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD programmes.
The High Commissioner further called for faster progress on the proposed health cooperation framework between the two countries, saying stronger institutional collaboration would deepen the partnership.
He said the celebration was designed as a “people’s movement” to showcase Ayurveda through exhibitions of natural herbs, medicinal plants, yoga, wellness practices and demonstrations of Ayurvedic therapies.
Singh also said India was ready to facilitate links between Indian Ayurvedic pharmaceutical companies that meet WHO Good Manufacturing Practice standards and Nigerian regulatory authorities, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
“This will ensure that quality and affordable traditional medicine products reach those who need them,” he said.
He identified three major pillars of the 2026 campaign as integrative healthcare, evidence-based research and innovation, and community wellbeing and sustainable living.
He urged both countries to move beyond nostalgia and focus on scientific research and innovation in developing traditional medicine.
Also speaking, the Director of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Kingsley Nnelue, said Nigeria was open to constructive engagement with India on traditional and complementary healthcare.
Representing the Minister of State for Health, Nnelue commended the Indian government and its High Commission for sustaining collaboration with Nigeria in healthcare and traditional medicine.
He said Ayurveda represents a long-standing system of health knowledge that emphasises prevention, healthy living, balance and holistic wellbeing.
“Nigeria, like India, has a rich heritage of traditional health practices and indigenous knowledge,” Nnelue said.
He stressed that collaboration in traditional medicine must be accompanied by patient safety, quality assurance, scientific evaluation, professional standards and appropriate regulation.
According to him, Nigeria’s health system could benefit from greater knowledge exchange with India in healthcare delivery, capacity building, research, innovation, pharmaceuticals and traditional health practices.
“We are very much interested in the commercialisation of medical products. We need to continue to share our research,” he said.
Nnelue added that Nigeria wanted India to share its experience and expertise as both countries work towards strengthening cooperation in traditional and complementary medicine.
He described the Ayurveda Day celebration as an opportunity not only to appreciate an ancient health system but also to deepen professional and scientific dialogue between Nigeria and India.
Also delivering a special lecture on health awareness, the Director-General of the Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency, Prof. Martins Emeje, stressed the importance of preventive healthcare, early detection and individual responsibility for personal health.
Emeje said good health should not be understood simply as the absence of disease, but should include physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing.
He encouraged Nigerians to pay greater attention to their lifestyle, diet, environment and mental wellbeing, arguing that preventive measures could help reduce complications associated with illnesses.
He also emphasised the importance of environmental and ecosystem-based approaches to healthcare, including green spaces, nature walks, outdoor activities and healthy living environments.
Emeje said traditional medicine should continue to be subjected to research and scientific evaluation while drawing lessons from nature and indigenous knowledge.
The Ayurveda Day programme featured health awareness activities, exhibitions of herbs and medicinal plants, yoga and demonstrations of Ayurvedic therapies.
The event also highlighted the potential for Nigeria and India to expand cooperation in traditional medicine, research, pharmaceutical development, training and healthcare innovation.
