The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 486 pharmaceutical premises in Niger State for various regulatory violations.
Dr. Suleiman Ciroma, Head of Enforcement at the PCN Headquarters, disclosed this on Friday in Minna while briefing journalists at the North Central Zonal Office after the council’s inspection exercise.
According to him, the affected premises include 69 pharmacies, 127 patent medicine shops, and 290 unlicensed outlets.
Ciroma added that one person was arrested for allegedly obstructing PCN inspectors during the operation and would be prosecuted.
Scope of inspection
The enforcement head explained that 672 premises, including 136 pharmacies and 536 patent medicine shops, were inspected across nine Local Government Areas, namely Agaie, Bida, Tafa, Chanchaga, Lapai, Paikoro, Bosso, Suleja, and Gurara.
Ciroma said that the exercise focused on compliance with professional ethics, personnel, premises standards, and pharmaceutical practice to ensure safe and quality service delivery.
The PCN enforcement head said the inspection revealed illegal operations of unlicensed outlets, unauthorized clinical practice, non-compliance with regulations, sale of controlled drugs, and unapproved training of apprentices, among others.
Public advisory
He urged members of the public to patronize only licensed premises, which he said could be identified by the display of current licenses.
Ciroma commended residents of Niger for their cooperation during the exercise, noting that the council’s nationwide enforcement would help check the circulation of substandard and falsified medicines.
What you should know
In recent reports, the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) sealed 443 drug outlets across Taraba State for multiple regulatory violations, including illegal operations and breaches of professional ethics.
- According to PCN Head of Enforcement, Mr. Sulaiman Chiroma, the sealed outlets comprised 43 pharmacies and 395 patent medicine shops. The enforcement team inspected 656 premises across 11 Local Government Areas in the state.
- Beyond physical inspections, the PCN has also begun licensing individuals and facilities selling medicines via social media and online platforms.
- PCN Registrar and CEO, Ibrahim Ahmed, explained that the PCN Establishment Act 2022 anticipated electronic pharmacy practices.
He noted that online drug sales surged during the COVID-19 pandemic and have continued to grow, making regulation necessary to ensure safe pharmaceutical services.
Ahmed further explained that enforcement mechanisms had also been set up, noting the unique challenges posed by borderless digital platforms.
According to him, many of the people selling medicines online do not have physical locations, and they are not bound by borders.
