Mapping the Herbal Medicine Supply Chain from Source to Consumer in Ogun State, South West Nigeria

Understanding the structure of the herbal medicine supply chain is critical for identifying intervention points for quality assurance and regulatory enforcement in Nigeria. In Ogun State, South West Nigeria, the herbal supply network involves multiple actors including harvesters, middlemen, processors, market vendors, and end consumers across both urban and rural markets. This study maps the herbal medicine supply chain from source to consumer in three geographically distinct zones of Ogun State: Abeokuta (urban), Sagamu (peri-urban), and Ijebu Ode (semi-rural). A mixed-methods approach combining supply chain mapping, key informant interviews with 62 chain actors, and physical sample traceability assessments was employed. The study traced 28 commonly sold herbal products and documented the number of handling stages, transit times, storage conditions, and documentation practices at each supply chain node. Results showed that most herbal products passed through three to five handling stages with no cold chain management, inadequate moisture control, and minimal batch traceability. Cross-contamination risks were identified at the primary processing stage in open-air markets. Only 18% of vendor samples could be traced back to a documented source. These findings highlight critical quality vulnerabilities in the Ogun State herbal supply chain and provide evidence-based recommendations for point-of-intervention quality management strategies. Keywords: supply chain, herbal medicine, quality assurance, Ogun State, traceability