Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 383 pharmaceutical premises across Ogun State following a four-day enforcement exercise, citing serious regulatory violations that the agency says pose grave risks to public health and national security. The operation, which covered 11 local government areas, was carried out on the directive of the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, and led to the inspection of 738 pharmaceutical outlets, according to the Head of the Council's Enforcement Department, Dr. Suleiman Chiroma.
Chiroma disclosed the outcome of the enforcement exercise on Friday, July 31, 2026, during a press conference in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. He explained that the operation was conducted in line with the provisions of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2022, which empowers the council to regulate pharmacy practice and license pharmaceutical premises nationwide. The enforcement covered Abeokuta South, Abeokuta North, Odeda, Obafemi-Owode, Ifo, Ado-Odo/Ota, Sagamu, Ijebu-Ode, Ikenne, Ijebu North-East and Ewekoro Local Government Areas.
According to Chiroma, 738 premises were inspected during the exercise, comprising 277 pharmacies, 288 Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor stores, and 173 unregistered or illegal outlets. At the end of the exercise, 383 premises were sealed for various offences, including 123 pharmacies, 87 patent medicine stores, and all 173 illegal premises identified during the operation. Additionally, three compliance directives were issued. "Illegal premises accounted for 45 per cent of all facilities sealed for one or more regulatory breaches. In accordance with the provisions of the law, 100 per cent of the illegal premises identified during the exercise were sealed," Chiroma stated.
The major violations recorded during the exercise included operating without a valid PCN licence, poor storage conditions, unauthorised access to controlled medicines, obstruction of inspectors, cooking within pharmaceutical premises, and the illegal training of apprentices. Chiroma warned that these infractions could endanger lives and compromise the country's drug distribution system. "These practices pose a grave threat to public health and constitute risks to national security through the potential diversion of controlled medicines into criminal networks," he said. "Dispensing medicines by untrained individuals and improper storage of medicines contribute directly to treatment failure, antimicrobial resistance and avoidable deaths. These outcomes increase the cost of care for patients and weaken public trust in the health system."
The enforcement exercise revealed that 23 per cent of the inspected premises were operating illegally, with most of the unregistered outlets located outside the Abeokuta metropolis, highlighting the need for stronger rural regulatory oversight. Chiroma noted that only 56 per cent of the pharmacies inspected complied fully with regulatory standards, while 70 per cent of patent and proprietary medicine vendor outlets were found to be compliant. He urged members of the public to purchase medicines only from premises licensed by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, noting that genuine pharmaceutical facilities display current PCN licences conspicuously.
Chiroma reaffirmed the council's commitment to sustained enforcement of pharmaceutical regulations, saying operators found violating extant laws would continue to face appropriate sanctions. "All premises engaged in the handling, storage, and dispensing of medicines will be subjected to stringent and continuous regulatory review. Violations of extant regulations shall be met with prompt and firm enforcement measures by the council," he said. The PCN is the statutory body responsible for regulating pharmacy education, practice and the distribution of medicines in Nigeria. In recent years, the council has intensified enforcement activities against unregistered drug outlets, citing concerns over the misuse of controlled medicines, fake and substandard drugs, and the involvement of unqualified persons in medicine sales. The council has repeatedly warned that unregulated drug markets can contribute to medication errors, antimicrobial resistance and poor treatment outcomes.
The enforcement aligns with the Federal Government's Universal Health Coverage agenda by ensuring access to safe, quality-assured and affordable medicines. The PCN has urged Nigerians to verify the validity of outlets through the display of current council licences and to report any suspicious pharmaceutical activities to the authorities. This latest crackdown in Ogun State is part of a broader national effort by the PCN to sanitise the drug distribution chain and protect public health. In recent months, the council has conducted similar enforcement exercises in other states, including Plateau, Cross River, and the Federal Capital Territory, sealing hundreds of illegal pharmacies and medicine stores.
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