Thursday November 13, 2025 | The House of Representatives has unanimously adopted a crucial resolution calling for urgent and coordinated action to regulate internet-based pharmaceutical service providers and protect Nigerian consumers from the threat of fake and substandard drugs sold online.
The resolution, sponsored by Hon. Canice Moore Chukwugozie Nwachukwu, follows deep concern over the alarming rate at which counterfeit and potentially toxic drugs are being marketed through untraceable online platforms, leading to severe health complications, organ damage, and “countless lives being lost.”
Key Concerns Driving the Resolution
The House highlighted several critical issues necessitating immediate government intervention:
Public Safety Risk: Fake drugs, often produced using substandard materials, contain toxic doses of dangerous ingredients, which cause disease progression, drug resistance, and pose significant health and safety risks.
Regulatory Gap Exploitation: The resolution notes that while the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) Act 2004 and the Online Pharmacy Regulations 2021 empower the PCN to register and license internet-based pharmaceutical providers, implementation has been insufficient.
Insecurity and Moral Decadence: Unregulated online drug prescriptions and sales, which may include illicit and stimulant drug contents, are seen as a major factor contributing to insecurity and social menaces among Nigerian youth.
Untraceable Sellers: Unsuspecting Nigerians are buying medicines from untraceable online companies with no fixed addresses, making it impossible for consumers to seek legal redress for injuries or damages incurred.
Directives and Resolutions by the House
The resolution directs the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Development to take proactive measures and collaborate with regulatory bodies:
Accelerate Registration & Licensing: Direct the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to commence the instant and speedy registration and licensing of all online healthcare service providers nationwide.
Cross-Agency Collaboration: Collaborate with agencies like NAFDAC, MDCN, NDLEA, and NCC to ensure successful hosting, running, regulation, monitoring, and enforcement of online pharmacy platforms.
Mandatory Transparency: Direct that all internet-based platforms must prominently display names and physical addresses and operate in line with global best practices and relevant telecommunication regulations.
Monitor E-Commerce Platforms: Ensure that popular online marketplaces (such as Jumia, Konga, Jiji, etc.) are officially monitored to verify that everyone selling medicines on their platforms is fully registered.
Public Database: Establish and publicize a database of the addresses and locations of legitimate online drug marketers, including required endorsements by qualified medical doctors and pharmacists, to equip consumers with evidence for legal redress.
The House of Representatives mandated the Committee on NAFDAC to ensure full compliance with all resolutions.
