The University of Lagos, UNILAG has officially unveiled the newly constructed African Centre of Excellence for Drug Research, Herbal Medicine Development, and Regulatory Science, ACEDHARS.
The unveiling ceremony, held at the pent area of the new facility along the University Medical Centre Road on Thursday, March 6, 2025, marked a significant milestone in advancing herbal medicine research and regulatory science in Africa.
Speaking at the event, UNILAG Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade T. Ogunsola, OON, FAS, described the occasion as a defining moment for the institution and Africa’s herbal medicine sector.
Her words: “Today is a day of thanksgiving. We are not just opening a building; we are opening a new chapter in the development of herbal medicine in Africa.”
Professor Ogunsola highlighted the Centre’s pivotal role in postgraduate training and applied research in drug discovery, emphasizing its importance in driving Africa’s sustainable development. She praised the state-of-the-art structure as a testament to what the university can achieve through collaboration and shared vision.
The Vice-Chancellor also commended her predecessor, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, for securing the ACEDHARS project grant, and acknowledged the leadership of Professor Bola Ade-Ademilua, the Centre’s Director.
The Special Guest of Honour and former Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ogundipe, lauded Professor Ade-Ademilua’s leadership in overcoming challenges to ensure the project’s completion.
In response, Professor Ade-Ademilua expressed gratitude to Professor Ogunsola for her unwavering support and reflected on the Centre’s journey. She underscored ACEDHARS’ commitment to advancing research in herbal medicine.
She further detailed the new building’s features, which include: dedicated production rooms for drug manufacturing; high-tech laboratories and classrooms; a spacious hall for events and state-of-the-art virtual learning studio and modern office spaces
Established in 2019, ACEDHARS is dedicated to manpower development in quality assurance, herbal drug standardization, dosage reproducibility, drug development, repurposing, and safety monitoring across West and Central Africa. The Centre focuses on transforming herbal formulations into standardized treatments for non-communicable diseases, NCDs.