The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria has sealed 6,705 illegal pharmaceutical premises and arrested 23 people between January 2024 and August 2025 in its nationwide enforcement operations.
The enforcement operations are part of the council’s measures to safeguard public health and strengthen the regulation of pharmacy practice.
The council highlighted a wide range of offences discovered during its enforcement exercises.
These included the “sale of drugs in the open drug market, premises operating without proper registration or valid licences, premises operating illegally, poor documentation, stocking of ethical products, operating without the supervision of a Superintendent Pharmacist, and violation of PCN regulations.”
“Patent medicine shops selling medicines not on the Approved Patent Medicine List (illegally selling prescription-only medications, such as anti-hypertensives, anti-diabetics, antibiotics, antiulcers, beyond their approved scope), patent medicine shops engaging in unauthorised clinical practices, and premises being operated by a third party or underage persons,” it stated.
The proliferation of illegal pharmaceutical premises has long been a challenge in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Many of these outlets are run without qualified personnel, often selling counterfeit or substandard drugs, which increases the risks of treatment failure, drug resistance, and avoidable deaths.
The PCN noted that its enforcement operations are meant to combat illegal pharmaceutical premises, address professional misconduct, and ensure the integrity of the pharmaceutical supply chain.
“Through strategic collaboration with law enforcement and other relevant agencies, the council has achieved significant milestones in its mission to protect the public from quackery and substandard services,” it said.
The document revealed that between January and December 2024, the PCN carried out eight enforcement exercises in eight states: Gombe, Plateau, Jigawa, the Federal Capital Territory, Bauchi, Cross River, Kaduna, and Adamawa.
During the operations, a total of 6,225 premises were visited. This comprised 887 pharmacies, 2,692 patent medicine shops, and 2,646 illegal shops.
Out of the premises visited, 4,115 were sealed by the Council. These included 329 pharmacies, 1,140 Patent Medicine Shops, and all 2,646 illegal shops.
The PCN issued 55 compliance directives to operators found to be in breach of professional standards and recorded 10 arrests during the period.
However, between January and August 2025, the council scaled up its operations, conducting four enforcement exercises, one surveillance operation, and one arrest exercise across seven states.
The states included the FCT (surveillance), Gombe (arrest), Akwa Ibom, Taraba, Rivers, Bayelsa (joint enforcement), and Niger.
In total, 3,343 premises were visited within the eight months. These comprised 937 pharmacies, 2,405 patent medicine shops, and one warehouse.
Following inspections, 2,290 premises were sealed, including 500 pharmacies, 1,789 patent medicine Shops, and the warehouse.
The council also issued 48 compliance directives and recorded 13 arrests between January and August 2025.
In comparison, the PCN inspected 6,225 pharmaceutical premises in 2024 and sealed 4,115, representing 66 per cent of those visited. In 2025 (January to August), it inspected 3,343 premises and sealed 2,290, representing 68 per cent, an increase that indicates tougher enforcement despite fewer inspections.
Arrests also rose from 10 in 2024 to 13 in just eight months of 2025, marking a 30 per cent increase in enforcement actions.
The PCN Registrar, Ibrahim Ahmed, said, “We are committed to upholding excellence in the profession and ensuring the highest standards of practice.
“In accordance with our mission statement, we will regulate pharmacy practice, promote excellence in pharmacy education and training, and ensure high-quality pharmaceutical production and care to the public through effective monitoring, inspection, enforcement, and implementation of relevant healthcare policies.”
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