Campus News

Africa must showcase its herbal wealth-Egbewole

By Tajudeen Babamale

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, has charged the African Centre for Herbal Research (ACHRI), Ilorin, a flagship institution of the U6+ Consortium, to strengthen its activities and reposition herbal research for greater impact across the continent and beyond.

Prof. Egbewole gave the charge last Monday (September 29, 2025) when he received the Director of ACHRI, Prof. Learnmore Kambizi, who visited him in his office ahead of his engagement at the University.

The Vice Chancellor stressed the need to document the diverse applications of herbal medicine in various African countries, noting that such knowledge could be used to promote health, manage chronic conditions, and enhance the well-being of the people.

Prof. Egbewole, who is also the Secretary-General of the Association of West African Universities (AWAU), added that with global communication now seamless, Africa must showcase its rich herbal resources to the world as both a healthcare solution and an avenue for economic development.

In a chat with UNILORIN Bulletin shortly after the meeting, the Director of ACHRI, Prof. Learnmore Kambizi, said his mission to the University of Ilorin was to assess areas requiring improvement in ACHRI with the aim of reviving the activities of herbal research in Africa.

Prof.Kambizi, who is from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape-Town (CPUT), South Africa, said the U6+ Consortium, comprising more than six universities across Africa, had mandated him to reposition the Centre for greater relevance with the vision of moving beyond the operational approaches of the past five years and taking herbal research to the next level.

Speaking on the importance of translating research into tangible products that can be taken to the market while also involving local communities, Prof. Kambizi pointed out that communities remain the custodians of indigenous knowledge, and their active participation would ensure mutual benefits as traditional wisdom is integrated into modern research.

Highlighting the potentials of herbal research in Africa, the ACHRI Director cited products like the popular “sobo” drink, which can be commercialised, as well as numerous medicinal plants historically used by African forebears to treat ailments.

While advocating the need for collaborative efforts among pharmacists, medical doctors, biochemists, chemists, foresters, and agricultural scientists to unlock the potential of herbal products, the Director of ACHRI noted that Africa has enormous opportunities in drug discovery through such collaboration.

He, however, called for stronger partnerships with universities in Nigeria and beyond, stressing that coordinated efforts are key to harnessing Africa’s rich biodiversity for health, wellness, and sustainable development.

Joining Prof. Kambizi on the visit were the Coordinator, African Centre for Herbal Research, Ilorin (ACHRI), Dr Olubunmi Atolani; the Deputy Director, Centre for International Education,who is also the International Coordinator, U6+ Consortium, Dr Bilqis A. Lawal; and a Member of the African Centre for Herbal Research, Ilorin (ACHRI), Dr Stanislaus Njinga.