The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has shut down 618 premises—including pharmacies, patent medicine shops, and illegal outlets—for violating regulatory standards in Rivers and Bayelsa States.
During a week-long enforcement exercise, the council’s team also arrested five individuals allegedly involved in illicit pharmaceutical activities.
PCN’s Head of Enforcement, Dr. Suleiman Chiroma, disclosed this during a press briefing in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday evening.
Of the sealed premises, 178 were registered pharmacies, 123 were patent medicine shops, and 317 were illegal outlets. Additionally, nine premises received compliance directives. The violations ranged from operating without licences, failure to renew registration, and unauthorized clinical practices to unlawful access to controlled medicines.
Dr. Chiroma explained that the enforcement sweep covered four local government areas (LGAs) in Rivers—Port Harcourt, Obio-Akpor, Ikwerre, and Etche—and two LGAs in Bayelsa—Yenagoa and Southern Ijaw.
“The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, established under Act No. 31 of 2022, is tasked with regulating and controlling pharmacy education, training, and practice nationwide,” Chiroma stated.
“Our mandate includes enforcing the National Drug Distribution Guidelines to ensure access to safe and quality medicines.”
He highlighted the persistent challenges within Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector, citing chaotic drug distribution networks, unlicensed premises, and the handling of medicines by unauthorized individuals as drivers for the crackdown.
The enforcement exercise targeted core areas such as pharmacy practices, premises, and personnel qualifications, aiming to uphold minimum quality assurance standards as prescribed by the PCN Establishment Act 2022 and related guidelines.
During the operation, a total of 867 premises were inspected—344 pharmacies and 523 patent medicine stores. While 618 premises were sealed—536 in Rivers and 82 in Bayelsa—five individuals were arrested for attempting to break PCN seals.
Offences included:
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Operating illegal premises
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Non-renewal of registration
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Unauthorized clinical practice
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Unauthorized access to controlled medicines
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Overstocking beyond approved patent medicine list
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Training apprentices without approval
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Retailing medicines in wholesale premises
A particularly worrying trend observed in Rivers State was the unauthorized access to controlled medicines stored in poison cupboards by non-pharmacist staff.
“This practice is unethical and dangerous, increasing the risk of medicine abuse and posing a security threat to the public,” Chiroma warned.
He also noted that some premises claimed registration after partial payments, despite incomplete registration processes—a violation of PCN regulations.
Dr. Chiroma called on pharmacists and vendors to complete their registrations fully and urged the public to be cautious about where they obtain medicines to avoid untrained vendors. Genuine pharmacies and patent medicine vendors (PPMVs) are required to display their licenses prominently.
The five arrested suspects have been handed over to security agencies for prosecution.
In conclusion, Chiroma emphasized that issuing licences is not enough; continuous compliance with ethical standards is essential to safeguard the public and maintain the integrity of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria.
