The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has sounded the alarm over what it describes as widespread illegal pharmaceutical practices within several Federal Health Institutions (FHIs) across the country. The association is calling on the Federal Government to impose urgent sanctions on the companies and pharmacists behind these violations, which it says are undermining the integrity of Nigeria’s health system.
Representing the association, National Chairman Pharm. Ezeh Ambrose Igwekamma criticised the growing trend of private pharmacy operators running drug distribution schemes within public hospitals under questionable Public–Private Partnership (PPP) models. According to him, this has created a persistent culture of lawlessness, where some pharmaceutical companies and their superintendent pharmacists allegedly operate with the tacit approval of hospital management and even regulators.
The ACPN leader faulted the Federal Ministry of Health for tolerating such activities, accusing it of ignoring red flags and failing to uphold existing laws governing drug management in public institutions. He cited the Essential Drug List and Drug Revolving Fund (DRF), which was established under Decree 43 of 1989 (now Cap 252 LFN 2004) as the only legal framework guiding pharmaceutical operations in public hospitals.
Pharm. Ezeh noted that the success of the DRF model depends on pharmacists being fully in charge of procurement, distribution and financial management. However, years of mismanagement by hospital administrators have left many institutions struggling with drug shortages and irregular supply chains.
As a model example, the ACPN pointed to the DRF project at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, which successfully built a ₦200 million pharmacy complex in 2014 under strict professional management without depleting its revolving fund. Despite such success stories, the association lamented that the Federal Ministry of Health failed to act when irregularities began to erode this achievement between 2020 and 2022.
The ACPN listed several Federal Health Institutions currently running questionable PPP pharmacy models, including the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, Usman Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) Sokoto, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), National Hospital Abuja, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi and others across Makurdi, Umuahia, Jabi, Nguru, Irrua and Maiduguri.
According to the association, these arrangements breach multiple provisions of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) Act 2022, which clearly prohibits private pharmacy operations inside public hospitals, mandates every pharmacy to be registered and supervised by a qualified superintendent pharmacist and classifies unregistered pharmacy operations as criminal offences.
The ACPN also alleged violations of the Public Procurement Act 2007, noting that some PPP agreements bypass competitive bidding and transparency requirements. Over 20 pharmacy premises operating within public hospitals reportedly lack proper registration, with one Lagos-based company allegedly claiming political connections to shield its operations.
The association has issued a stern warning to superintendent pharmacists whose licences are being used to legitimise these questionable partnerships, giving them until the end of 2025 to regularise their operations or face disciplinary measures. By 2026, the ACPN says it will collaborate with consumer protection and trade malpractice regulators to enforce sanctions.
Pharm. Ezeh emphasised that resolving Nigeria’s drug distribution crisis requires systemic reform through credit support for local drug manufacturers, transparent procurement systems and the protection of DRF accounts as official capital funds. He warned that financing gaps and weak institutional control continue to jeopardise the availability, affordability and quality of essential medicines.
The association concluded by urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare to address the issue, warning that the government-induced disorder in the pharmaceutical system poses a real threat to national health outcomes.
ACPN reiterated its commitment to restoring legality, professionalism and accountability in the management of drugs across public hospitals, stressing that the stability of the nation’s health system depends on it.
