The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has deployed 600 pharmacists to strengthen drug regulation nationwide.
This initiative aims to combat substandard and falsified medicines, unwholesome food, and other public health risks across Nigeria.
The agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Mr. Olusayo Akintola, announced this in Abuja on Sunday, quoting Director-General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye on the initiative’s objectives and nationwide implementation.
Adeyeye said the 600 qualified pharmacists were selected from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory through a transparent, merit-based process that considered availability and regional representation.
She urged the pharmacists, as they took their oath of allegiance, to serve Nigeria with integrity beyond negotiation, warning that they would face pressures and inducements meant to compromise their regulatory duties.
“Once a regulator is bought, the public loses its protection,” she stated.
Adeyeye noted that the pharmacists had diverse career backgrounds before joining the program, and their selection was part of a deliberate effort to bolster regulatory capacity across Nigeria’s regions.
She described the Pharmacists Regulatory Volunteers Programme (PRVP) as more than an internship; it is an investment in professional development, national regulatory strength, and public safety.
“The volunteers will receive training in medicines regulation, including pharmacovigilance, compliance monitoring, quality assurance, data collection, public awareness against drug abuse, and measures to protect Nigerians from dangerous products and counterfeits.”
Adeyeye explained that volunteers would learn what it takes to stand between Nigerians and substandard, falsified, or dangerous products, developing practical skills for effective regulation.
She emphasized that the program aims to build a reserve of trained pharmacists who can be mobilized during product recalls, suspected circulation of falsified medicines, public health emergencies, and other urgent situations.
Adeyeye hoped for every state to have a standing pool of trained, vetted, and mobilizable pharmacists working alongside NAFDAC offices to enhance surveillance and regulation.
She added that the initiative would extend NAFDAC’s regulatory reach beyond laboratories and ports to markets, community pharmacies, patent medicine stores, and primary healthcare centers nationwide.
“Regulation that only exists in the capital cannot protect a nation of over 200 million,” she said. “This program aims to bring regulation to the doorstep of the Nigerian people.”
Adeyeye urged volunteers to remain disciplined and responsive, ensuring prompt execution of assigned tasks while maintaining confidentiality, as information from inspections belongs to NAFDAC and the Nigerian people.
“Ask questions, read guidelines, take your training seriously, and document your work properly,” she advised. “Respect the communities you serve as ambassadors of NAFDAC and the pharmacy profession.”
She continued that the program would provide hands-on experience in pharmacovigilance, laboratory awareness, risk communication, enforcement, surveillance, and other key activities to support effective medicine regulation.
Volunteers will be mentored by experienced professionals, gaining practical knowledge and skills for future roles. Their services will be documented through certification and service letters, enhancing their credentials and supporting career growth.
Adeyeye encouraged directors and state coordinators to take ownership, mentor effectively, and deploy volunteers to strengthen regulatory activities and public health across Nigeria.
“To our 600 volunteers: you carry not just a certificate, but a pledge to serve with integrity and protect the Nigerian public’s safety,” she said.
The statement also quoted Dr. Momodu Rametu, Programme Coordinator and Director of Narcotics and Controlled Substances (NCS), who said the initiative began with an expression of interest and evolved into a national pool of 600 pharmacists.
Rametu described the PRVP as an organized backup system for emergency response and regulatory support, increasing citizen participation through post-marketing surveillance, drug demand reduction, and community efforts against unsafe pharmaceutical practices.
Similarly, Dr. Tunde Sigbeku, Coordinator of NAFDAC Training School, emphasized that the volunteer role is a call to service, requiring dedication and discipline to protect Nigerians from unsafe medicines and harmful products.
“In the online training, we will explain how NAFDAC operates, covering post-market surveillance, pharmacovigilance, antimicrobial resistance prevention, inspection, enforcement, and narcotics regulation,” Sigbeku said.
He added the training would also address drug abuse and its societal impact, with volunteers supporting surveillance, research, and other activities to protect public health.
Sigbeku congratulated Adeyeye on the initiative, calling it the first time NAFDAC would have a national reserve of personnel to support efforts against fake, substandard, and dangerous pharmaceuticals across Nigeria.
