The Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) today received the new Consul General of India in Lagos, His Excellency Kannan Chockalingam, at the Agency’s Laboratory Headquarters in Lagos, in a high-level diplomatic visit that reinforces growing cooperation between Nigeria and India in healthcare research, professional training, and natural medicine development.
The visit highlighted strategic opportunities to strengthen bilateral collaboration, with the Consul General expressing India’s readiness to deepen institutional partnerships with NNMDA — particularly in training, knowledge exchange, and manpower development.
During the guided tour of the Agency’s laboratory complex, Mr. Chockalingam was briefed on NNMDA’s expanding role in the research, standardization, promotion, and development of natural medicines aimed at improving national health outcomes and supporting evidence-based traditional healthcare systems.
Impressed by the Agency’s scientific infrastructure and research initiatives, His Excellency conveyed satisfaction with NNMDA’s contributions to Nigeria’s health sector and emphasized the importance of international cooperation in advancing medical innovation.
Welcoming the Consul General, the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of NNMDA, Prof. Martins Emeje, expressed profound appreciation to the Government of India for its sustained support, including the full sponsorship of Agency personnel for short-term professional training programmes in India.
Prof. Emeje noted that the Agency looks forward to expanding these opportunities to include long-duration professional training spanning nine months to two years, a development expected to significantly strengthen technical expertise, enhance research capacity, and accelerate innovation within Nigeria’s natural medicine ecosystem.
He further emphasized that strategic global partnerships remain critical to positioning Nigeria as a competitive player in natural medicine research while ensuring that locally developed healthcare solutions meet international quality standards.
As the Agency continues to build global alliances, the engagement with the consulate signals a shared commitment to advancing sustainable healthcare systems and unlocking the economic and therapeutic potential of natural medicine for national development.
Obasi E.H
Innovation, Data &ICT Support
