PHARMACY COUNCIL OF NIGERIA ACT

What Is This Policy?

The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Act establishes PCN as the statutory body for regulating pharmacy education, practice, and pharmaceutical premises in Nigeria. The 2022 amendment strengthened PCN's powers to tackle counterfeit drugs, regulate community pharmacies and patent medicine stores, and expand pharmaceutical care services.

Who Does It Target?

Registered pharmacists in hospital, community, industrial, and academic settings Community pharmacy owners, hospital pharmacies, and drug distribution companies Patent Medicine Vendors (PMVs) and their approximately 800,000 outlets nationwide Pharmacy schools and pharmaceutical departments at universities requiring PCN accreditation The drug supply chain, including wholesalers, importers, and distributors of pharmaceutical products

What Does It Aim to Achieve?

Regulate pharmacy practice to ensure safe, effective, and rational use of medicines across Nigeria Eliminate counterfeit, substandard, and falsified medicines from Nigerian drug supply chains Expand the scope of pharmacist-led healthcare, including medication therapy management and chronic disease medication counselling Regulate and upgrade Patent Medicine Vendors to reduce the risk of self-medication with inappropriate drugs

Key Features

Pharmacist Registration: All pharmacists must be registered with PCN and hold a current annual practising licence; practicing without registration is a criminal offence Premises Inspection: PCN inspects and licenses all pharmaceutical premises including community pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, drug stores, and manufacturing facilities Patent Medicine Vendor Regulation: PMVs are licensed by PCN at state level; they may only sell a restricted list of approved non-prescription medicines and must refer complex cases Anti-Counterfeit Enforcement: PCN works with NAFDAC to identify, confiscate, and prosecute the supply of counterfeit medicines; both bodies share intelligence and conduct joint raids CPD Requirements: Pharmacists must complete continuing professional development annually to renew their practising licence Pharmaceutical Care Services: The 2022 amendment expands PCN's mandate to include pharmacist-led immunisation, health screening, and medication management as part of primary healthcare

Current Status

Rollout Stage: Active; 2022 amendment fully operational; PCN zonal offices in all six geopolitical zones Implementing Body: Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), supervised by the Federal Ministry of Health Coverage: National; over 22,000 registered pharmacists and approximately 800,000 licensed PMV outlets Counterfeit Drug Problem: Approximately 20% of medicines in the Nigerian market are substandard or falsified (WHO estimate); PCN and NAFDAC joint enforcement is a priority

How to Access

Pharmacists: Register with PCN and renew annual practising licence at pcnng.com; complete CPD requirements each year to maintain registration Pharmacy Owners: Apply for premises licence at PCN: pcnng.com; premises are inspected before a licence is issued and annually thereafter Report Counterfeit Drugs: Report suspected fake or substandard medicines to NAFDAC: nafdac.gov.ng or call 0800 NAFDAC (623322) PMV Operators: Apply for a Patent Medicine Vendor licence through PCN's state office or relevant State Pharmacy Board

Official Resources

Website: pcnng.com | nafdac.gov.ng Contact: Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, 8 Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos | [email protected] Policy Summary | Source: PCN Nigeria, FMOH, Pharmacy Act 2022, NAFDAC, WHO Pharmaceutical Sector Nigeria | February 2026

Legal Framework

The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Act 1992 (as amended 2022) is the primary legislation governing pharmacy practice regulation in Nigeria. It operates alongside the NAFDAC Act, the National Drug Policy, the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs Act, and the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act. The Council aligns with the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) standards for pharmacy education and practice and the WHO Good Pharmacy Practice guidelines.