Pharmacists Warn Delays in National Prescription Policing Policy Could Trigger Drug Regulation Chaos
The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has urged the Federal Government to urgently implement the long-awaited National Prescription Policy (NPP), warning that prolonged delays risk plunging Nigeria’s drug regulation system into disorder.
In a strongly worded letter dated August 8, 2025, and addressed to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, the pharmacists commended the current administration for reviving the long-dormant policy. However, they cautioned that without immediate action and proper stakeholder input, the initiative could lose momentum and fail to achieve its purpose.
The ACPN argued that the NPP, often referred to as the National Prescription Policing framework, is central to curbing the dangerous trend of indiscriminate prescribing, illegal drug sales, and the circulation of counterfeit medicines.
According to the pharmacists, timely adoption of the policy would strengthen consumer safety and restore confidence in Nigeria’s fragile pharmaceutical sector.
But the association expressed concerns about lapses in the policy’s development, accusing some key institutions of not showing adequate commitment. It pointed specifically to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), saying its lukewarm participation in the drafting stages amounted to a “huge disservice” to a policy in which it should play a central role. The pharmacists also faulted the Food and Drugs Department of the Health Ministry for failing to provide sufficient technical support at critical stages.
Beyond the policy’s rollout, ACPN stressed the need for stronger financial and structural backing for the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) to enable it to properly police prescribing and dispensing practices across the country. Without such reforms, the association warned, Nigeria faces the risk of deepening regulatory chaos, with unsafe prescribing, unchecked distribution of counterfeit drugs, and worsening public health outcomes.
“Every delay makes the situation more dangerous. The prescription policing framework is not just a policy document; it is a national safeguard against drug misuse and systemic collapse in healthcare,” ACPN noted in its statement.
The pharmacists concluded by calling for an immediate stakeholder review and swift but transparent implementation of the policy, insisting that only broad-based collaboration would ensure that the NPP delivers on its promise of safe and effective drug governance in Nigeria.
