It was a remarkable day for the Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) as the Agency graduated its first cohort of Pharmacy Interns (2024–2025)—marking a significant milestone in its mission to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system and foster quality manpower through indigenous knowledge and innovation.

All five interns are first-class graduates from their respective universities, an indication of the quality of minds NNMDA looks out for.  Four out of the five interns successfully completed the one-year internship program, thereby emerging as Ambassadors of Excellence and Innovation in Natural Medicine.

The event coincided with the working visit by the House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Compliance to the Agency. The Committee, led by Chairman Hon. Yusuf Ahmed Badau, expressed strong support for NNMDA’s vision to elevate natural medicine as a driver of economic growth, job creation, and accessible healthcare.

Ms. Barakat received the Best Intern Award, which include a brand-new laptop and other gift items,  donated by the Director General/Chief Executive, Prof. Martins Emeje, symbolising the Agency’s unwavering commitment to excellence, empowerment, and homegrown solutions.

In his remarks, Prof. Emeje commended all four graduate interns for their outstanding performance, urging them to be lifelong ambassadors of the pharmacy profession, their families, and Nigeria at large.

“This is more than a graduation; it’s the rise of a new generation of healthcare leaders rooted in Nigeria’s heritage and driven by innovation.”
— Prof. Martins Emeje

This historic graduation follows NNMDA’s 2024 accreditation as a Federal Government-recognised center for Pharmacy Internship training, a breakthrough that opened the doors for structured capacity building in traditional medicine and pharmaceutical sciences.

NNMDA continues to lead the charge in transforming healthcare in Nigeria—bridging culture and science, past and future.