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…To hold its 99th Annual National Conference November 1 to 7
By Doris Obinna
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has proposed a minimum N25 million fine and jail terms of up to 20 years for counterfeit drug dealers, warning that tougher penalties are needed to tackle the lucrative trade and protect Nigerians from dangerous medicines.
President, PSN, Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, made the call yesterday, at a pre-conference briefing ahead of the society’s 99th Annual National Conference, scheduled for November 1 to 7, 2026, in Awka, Anambra State.
The conference, themed “One Health, One Pharmacy: Bridging Knowledge, Practice and Policy for National Impact,” will focus on strengthening pharmacy practice, improving medicine safety and affordability, and promoting collaboration across healthcare professions to deliver better health outcomes.
Ibrahim said the society had made submissions at a recent Senate public hearing on the proposed amendment to the Fake Drug Act, seeking fines of at least N25 million, imprisonment for five to 20 years, or both, alongside asset forfeiture where applicable.
“Drug faking has come to stay. Nobody should assume that it can be eliminated because it is a very lucrative business,” he said.
He urged the National Assembly to expedite the amendment and called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to strengthen enforcement.
Ibrahim also demanded full implementation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines, approved in 2015 to replace open drug markets with Coordinated Wholesale Centres (CWCs).
He identified Idumota in Lagos, Head Bridge in Onitsha, Sabon Gari in Kano and Ariaria in Aba as major markets targeted by the initiative.
While the Kano centre has been commissioned, projects in Lagos, Anambra and Abia still require government support. The PSN said the Lagos centre is expected to be delivered in the second quarter of 2027, while Anambra had pledged support for the centre at Oba. Abia Governor Alex Otti had also promised assistance for the state’s project.
The society urged authorities to fast-track approvals and resolve legal and administrative obstacles, with Agbeni in Ibadan, Ogbete in Enugu and Gamboru in Maiduguri identified for the next phase.
On rising medicine prices, Ibrahim said incentives for manufacturers would not deliver meaningful relief unless the costs of electricity, diesel, transportation and logistics were addressed.
“The ball is in the government’s court to take a holistic approach to the cost of drugs,” he said, urging government to consult pharmaceutical manufacturers before introducing price-reduction policies.
He also advocated investment in local research to develop natural products into scientifically evaluated medicines, warning that high drug prices were pushing some Nigerians towards traditional remedies.
Meanwhile, National Secretary, PSN, Gafar Madehein, warned that a NAFDAC number on a herbal product did not automatically prove it had undergone clinical trials or been established as safe and effective. He cautioned against combining herbal preparations with conventional medicines without professional advice.
The society also highlighted efforts to strengthen pharmacy practice through the Consultant Pharmacist cadre, postgraduate residency training and collaboration in clinical nutrition. It further disclosed that its International Pharmacy Practice Residency Programme at Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara, is under review by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, with a decision expected in March 2027.
Also, Chairman, Conference Planning Committee (CPC), Derrick Osondu, urged pharmacists to attend the conference for networking, knowledge exchange and business opportunities. He also highlighted the planned appearance of the Igjele masquerade as a cultural attraction.
On her part, Publicity Secretary, PSN, Lizette Njideka Ezenekwe, welcomed participants and encouraged them to experience Anambra’s hospitality and cultural heritage.
The conference will feature a keynote address by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Pharm. (Dr.) Bernard M. Doro. Anambra Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, is expected at the opening ceremony on November 3. Other activities will include technical sessions, exhibitions, town hall meetings, excursions, the society’s annual general meeting and a closing banquet.
