PSN Seeks ₦25m Fine, 20-Year Jail Term For Fake Drug Offenders

PSN Seeks ₦25m Fine, 20-Year Jail Term for Fake Drug Offenders

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria PSN has called for tougher penalties for manufacturers and distributors of counterfeit medicines, proposing a minimum fine of ₦25 million and prison terms ranging from five to 20 years. The society urged the National Assembly to accelerate the amendment of the Fake Drug Act, arguing that the existing penalties were too weak to deter offenders involved in the lucrative trade in fake and substandard medicine.

PSN President, Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, made the call on Monday during a press conference ahead of the society’s 99th Annual National Conference. He criticised existing fines, which can be as low as ₦5,000 or ₦10,000 in some cases, saying such amounts were insufficient to discourage counterfeit drug operators. According to him, the proposed amendments would introduce fines of at least ₦25 million, prison sentences of between five and 20 years, or both, depending on the nature of the offence. The proposals also include forfeiture of assets linked to offenders where applicable. Ibrahim said the society had presented its position at a recent Senate public hearing on the proposed amendment and urged lawmakers to conclude the legislative process. He noted that the profitability of counterfeit medicine production and distribution made stronger sanctions necessary, alongside sustained enforcement by regulatory agencies. The PSN president 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 intensify efforts to identify, arrest and prosecute individuals involved in the trade. He stressed that tougher penalties must be supported by effective regulation of medicine distribution to prevent fake and substandard products from reaching consumers. Beyond tougher punishment, the PSN called on federal and state governments to fully implement the National Drug Distribution Guidelines, approved in 2015. The guidelines provide for the relocation of major open drug markets to Coordinated Wholesale Centres (CWCs), where medicine distribution can be monitored more effectively. The society identified major markets in Idumota, Lagos; Head Bridge, Onitsha, Anambra State; Sabon Gari, Kano; and Ariaria, Aba, Abia State, as requiring sustained government attention. Ibrahim said the coordinated wholesale centre initiative had recorded progress in Kano, while projects in Lagos and Anambra still required attention to ensure their completion and effective operation. He urged the Federal Government to work with the affected state governments to remove administrative and other obstacles delaying the projects.The PSN president cautioned against placing the responsibility for identifying fake medicines on patients, insisting that pharmacists and other qualified professionals had important roles in protecting consumers. He advised Nigerians to purchase medicines from registered pharmacies and warned against obtaining prescription drugs, including antibiotics, from unauthorised outlets. He also noted that some pharmaceutical companies had introduced product-verification systems to help identify suspected counterfeit medicines. Ibrahim warned that the high cost of medicines was pushing some Nigerians away from conventional healthcare towards traditional remedies, highlighting the need to improve access to affordable, quality-assured medicines. The PSN National Secretary, Pharm. Gafar Madehein, cautioned Nigerians against assuming that herbal products were safe simply because they carried NAFDAC registration numbers. He explained that a registration number issued for listing purposes did not necessarily mean a product had undergone clinical trials demonstrating its safety and effectiveness. Madehein also warned that combining herbal remedies with conventional medicines could result in harmful interactions, urging consumers to seek professional advice before using them together. The pharmacists made the recommendations ahead of the PSN’s 99th Annual National Conference, scheduled to take place in Awka, Anambra State, from November 1 to 6, 2026. The conference is themed “One Health, One Pharmacy: Bridging Knowledge, Practice and Policy for National Impact. It is expected to bring together pharmacists, policymakers, regulators, researchers and other healthcare professionals to discuss pharmacy practice, patient safety, pharmaceutical policy and improvements in healthcare delivery. The PSN maintained that stronger legal penalties, effective enforcement and reforms to the medicine distribution system would be essential to protecting Nigerians from counterfeit and substandard medicine.