A powdery composition for nasal administration, where (1) the composition contains (i) a drug, (ii) a water-absorbing and gel-forming base material such as hydroxypropyl cellulose or hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose and (iii) a water-absorbing and water-insoluble base material such as crystalline cellulose or .alpha.-cellulose, (2) wherein the amount of the water-absorbing and gel-forming base material is about 5-40 wt % based on the total of the water-absorbing and gel-forming base material and the water-absorbing and water-insoluble base material, and (3) wherein the drug is unevenly dispersed more on/in the water-absorbing and water-insoluble base material than on/in the water-absorbing and gel-forming base material.