PSN Raises Alarm Over 3 Million Illegal Drug Outlets Nationwide

( Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria President, Ayuba Tanko. Photo Credit: Pharmanews)

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria has raised the alarm over the proliferation of illegal drug outlets across the country, revealing that Nigeria has an estimated three million unregistered pharmaceutical premises compared with fewer than 50,000 registered outlets.

The society warned that the development poses a major threat to public health and medical safety, as millions of Nigerians may be obtaining drugs from unregulated outlets operating outside the supervision of licensed pharmacists.

PSN President Ayuba Tanko, in a statement issued on the matter, traced the explosion of illegal drug outlets to the period when the issuance of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors' licences was delegated to local governments effectively creating 774 separate licensing authorities across the country.

He described this as the foundation for the current proliferation of unregistered pharmaceutical premises.

Tanko noted that drug regulation remains on Nigeria's Exclusive Legislative List due to the sensitive role medicines play in healthcare delivery, adding that pharmacy practice is the only profession in the health sector directly linked to the Exclusive List.

The PSN president commended the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria for intensifying enforcement against illegal pharmaceutical operations, particularly following recent convictions in Ibadan and Calabar.

The Federal High Court in Ibadan sentenced an unregistered operator of a patent medicine shop on May 26, 2026, while the Federal High Court in Calabar jailed the operator of an unregistered pharmacy and three others for operating an unlicensed premises and engaging unregistered personnel to dispense medicines.

Tanko also highlighted the critical role of Superintendent Pharmacists in ensuring medicine safety and regulatory compliance.

Under the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Act 2022, every pharmaceutical premises is required to operate under the direct supervision of a Superintendent Pharmacist responsible for overseeing professional standards, medicine sourcing, storage, dispensing, and patient counselling.

He warned that allowing unqualified persons to stock and dispense medicines in both private and public health facilities could endanger patients and compromise healthcare outcomes.

He called on the National Assembly to amend existing drug laws, particularly provisions relating to penalties under the Fake Drug Act, arguing that weak sanctions continue to encourage violations.

The PSN president stressed that stronger enforcement and tougher penalties for offenders are necessary to protect Nigerians from unsafe medicines and preserve public confidence in the country's drug distribution system.