The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 724 illegal pharmaceutical outlets in Kwara.
PCN Registrar Pharm. Ibrahim Ahmed announced this in Ilorin during a news conference following a four-day operation across 10 Local Government Areas of Kwara.
Ahmed, represented by Dr. Suleiman Ciroma, Head of Enforcement at PCN, stated that the team inspected a total of 1,238 premises, including 167 pharmacies, 957 patent medicine stores, and 114 illegal outlets.
“The enforcement covered Ilorin South, Ilorin East, Ilorin West, Asa, Offa, Ifelodun, Oyun, Moro, Irepodun, and Edu,” he said.
“Consequently, 724 premises were sealed, including 68 pharmacies, 542 patent medicine stores, and 114 illegal outlets. Additionally, 11 compliance directives were issued,” he added.
Ahmed noted that nine percent of the inspected premises were operating illegally, a figure he described as a sign of improved regulatory outcomes in Kwara.
He explained that 15.7 percent of all sealed facilities were illegal due to regulatory breaches. Among licensed operators, 59.2 percent of pharmacies and 43 percent of patent medicine outlets were fully compliant.
“All illegal premises identified were sealed as required by law,” he affirmed.
Ahmed listed breaches such as operating without a valid PCN license, poor storage conditions, unauthorized access to controlled medicines, training apprentices, and cooking in patent medicine shops.
He warned these practices threaten public health and national security, especially when controlled drugs are diverted to criminal networks.
Ahmed emphasized that untrained dispensing and poor storage increase treatment failures, antimicrobial resistance, and preventable deaths, raising health costs and undermining public trust.
“Enforcing compliance protects the integrity of the pharmaceutical supply chain, a vital part of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).”
The PCN is committed to safeguarding standards across the pharmaceutical sector, ensuring all facilities handling medicines are regularly inspected.
“Any breach will result in decisive enforcement actions,” he warned.
He urged the public to buy medicines only from licensed premises, which can be verified by the valid PCN license displayed within the facility.
