Minna – The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed a total of 486 pharmaceutical premises in Niger State following a statewide enforcement exercise against regulatory violations.
Dr. Suleiman Ciroma, Head of Enforcement at the PCN Headquarters, disclosed the development on Friday during a press briefing at the council’s North Central Zonal Office in Minna. He explained that the action was part of the PCN’s routine monitoring to ensure compliance with professional standards in the distribution and sale of medicines.
According to him, the affected premises include 69 pharmacies, 127 patent medicine shops, and 290 unlicensed outlets. He noted that the closures were prompted by infractions such as operating without registration, poor documentation, non-compliance with storage standards, and the sale of prescription-only medicines by unauthorized persons.
Ciroma stressed that the PCN’s enforcement activities are aimed at safeguarding public health, given the risks posed by substandard and counterfeit drugs in circulation. He urged operators of pharmaceutical and patent medicine outlets to regularize their licenses and adhere strictly to regulatory requirements.
The council further assured that its inspection and enforcement operations would continue across the country to strengthen the integrity of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector.
