The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 383 pharmaceutical premises across Ogun State over regulatory violations, including operating without valid licences, poor storage of medicines and running illegal drug outlets.
The enforcement exercise, which covered 11 local government areas, was part of efforts to sanitise Nigeria’s drug distribution system and ensure medicines are sold only through licensed outlets.
Inspectors visited 738 premises, comprising pharmacies, Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor (PPMV) stores and unregistered drug outlets.
The operation, conducted in July under the directive of the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Pharm. Ibrahim Ahmed, was in line with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2022.
The outcome of the exercise was announced during a press briefing in Abeokuta on Friday.
“A total of 383 premises were sealed during the exercise, including 123 pharmacies, 87 Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor stores and all 173 illegal outlets, while three operators were issued compliance directives for minor regulatory breaches,” said Dr Suleiman Chiroma, Head of the PCN Enforcement Department.
Chiroma said the exercise was aimed at enforcing compliance with the National Drug Distribution Guidelines, which seek to eliminate open drug markets and establish a regulated medicine distribution system. He stressed that no pharmaceutical premises is allowed to operate without registration and a valid licence issued by the Council.
He disclosed that 23 per cent of the inspected premises were operating illegally, with most of them located outside the Abeokuta metropolis. Illegal outlets accounted for 45 per cent of all premises sealed, while only 56 per cent of the pharmacies inspected were fully compliant, compared with 70 per cent of the Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor stores.
The inspection also uncovered violations such as unauthorised access to controlled medicines, obstruction of enforcement officers, cooking within pharmaceutical premises and the illegal training of apprentices. Chiroma warned that such practices pose serious risks to public health and undermine the integrity of Nigeria’s drug distribution system.
He reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to strengthening regulation, protecting consumers and eliminating illegal drug outlets across Ogun State.