Lagos Ogun Traditional Medicine Regulation: States Partner for Oversight

• The Lagos State Government is collaborating with Ogun State to enhance traditional medicine regulation and oversight.
• Ogun State officials visited Lagos to study its established regulatory framework, administrative processes, and practitioner monitoring strategies.
• The Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board, established in 1980, has registered 9,645 practitioners and implements training, codes of conduct, and infrastructure development.
• Lagos aims to modernize the sector, preserve indigenous knowledge, and ensure practices meet safety and professionalism standards.
• Ogun seeks to apply lessons from Lagos to strengthen its alternative medicine administration and improve regulation.

The Lagos State Government is actively pursuing enhanced regulation within its traditional medicine sector through a new partnership with Ogun State.

The Lagos State Government is actively pursuing enhanced regulation within its traditional medicine sector through a new partnership with Ogun State. This collaborative effort follows a recent working visit by a delegation from the Ogun State Alternative Medicine Board to the Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board, as reported on November 10, 2026. The primary objective of the Ogun officials during their visit was to thoroughly examine Lagos’s established regulatory framework, administrative procedures, and strategies for monitoring practitioners, with a view to applying these insights within their own jurisdiction.

Babatunde Adele, who serves as the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos board, affirmed his agency's commitment to sharing its extensive experience with its Ogun counterpart. This exchange is intended to foster higher professional standards and promote responsible practices across the traditional medicine landscape in both states. The initiative underscores a broader regional push towards more robust Nigeria traditional medicine oversight.

Established in 1980, the Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board has developed a comprehensive system for managing its sector, currently boasting 9,645 registered active traditional medicine practitioners. The board’s mandate extends beyond mere registration to encompass professional development, ongoing monitoring, and the active promotion of safe healthcare practices. To elevate professional standards and enhance accountability, the Lagos board has implemented regular training programs and a specific code of conduct for practitioners, directly addressing the challenges posed by unregulated operators.

Furthermore, Lagos is investing in significant institutional and infrastructural advancements to bolster research, documentation, and the standardization of traditional medicine. Key initiatives include the development of a botanical garden in Epe, plans for new traditional medicine clinics and laboratories, and the proposed establishment of zonal offices to decentralize regulatory services. These efforts are designed to modernize the sector, safeguard indigenous medical knowledge, and ensure that practices consistently meet acceptable benchmarks for safety and professionalism, thereby setting strong Lagos traditional medicine standards. Tajudeen Olusesi, a former member of the Lagos board and CEO of Royal Holistic College of Traditional Medicine, highlighted the agency's support for various facilities, including training institutions, clinics, botanical gardens, herbal centers, and drug manufacturing facilities. He also noted that a data management system, combined with practitioner registration and periodic license renewal, has been crucial in identifying active practitioners and managing inactive registrations, significantly improving the board's database and regulatory oversight.

The Ogun State delegation, led by its Executive Secretary and Registrar, Charles Erinle, sought to gain practical insights from Lagos’s regulatory journey to strengthen alternative medicine administration in their state. The visit was specifically structured to familiarize Erinle’s team with the operational structure, administrative processes, and regulatory strategies employed by the Lagos board, while also identifying potential areas for future inter-institutional cooperation.

Erinle conveyed his confidence that the knowledge acquired during the visit would serve as valuable models for refining regulation and advancing traditional medicine practice in Ogun. Olufunke Adu, another member of the Ogun delegation, expressed gratitude to the Lagos board for its willingness to share institutional experience and operational insights. She voiced optimism that this engagement would ultimately contribute to a more robust regulatory environment within Ogun, reinforcing the broader goal of improved Lagos Ogun traditional medicine regulation.

Lawyers advising traditional medicine practitioners in Lagos and Ogun states should closely monitor the evolving regulatory frameworks and potential for increased enforcement, particularly concerning practitioner registration, professional development, and adherence to new codes of conduct, to ensure client compliance and mitigate risks.

Source: Original reporting via PUNCH.