• Niger to integrate traditional medicine into formal healthcare system
• Plan includes training, oversight, and job creation in the sector
• Move targets informal economy, youth employment, and healthcare access

Niger’s Health Minister Garba Hakimi announced on Sunday that the government plans to integrate traditional medicine into the country's formal healthcare system. Speaking at the 23rd African Traditional Medicine Day celebration, he highlighted a series of targeted actions, including continuous training for practitioners, scientific oversight of their practices, and the development of a sector capable of generating jobs in research, production, and marketing.

These efforts come as the government seeks to professionalize a sector that is still largely informal. According to the National Institute of Statistics, the informal economy accounted for 57% of Niger’s GDP in 2020. Professionalizing traditional medicine could improve the quality of care, secure access to health services, and foster local entrepreneurship in a country facing significant demographic pressure.

With a population estimated at 27.9 million in 2025, 46% of whom are under 15, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Niger struggles with high informal employment. While the official youth unemployment rate was just 0.3% in 2024, the reality is that many young people lack social protection and financial security.

Other West African nations have found success in regulating and training traditional medicine practitioners to drive job creation. For example, Ghana’s Directorate of Traditional Medicine, established in 1994, has helped create recognized micro-enterprises and training centers. A March 2023 study from the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) also noted that Benin’s national program has formalized the practice, leading to both jobs and professional recognition.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou