The Federal Government of Nigeria has taken a major step toward regulating the sale of medicines through digital platforms with the inauguration of the National Electronic Pharmacy Policy and Strategic Implementation Plan in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.
The policy was unveiled through collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and key stakeholders in Nigeria’s healthcare and digital governance sectors, with the aim of transforming pharmaceutical distribution and ensuring that Nigerians have access to safe, affordable, and quality-assured medicines regardless of location.
Okay News reports that Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, said the new policy was designed to address long-standing gaps in the pharmaceutical sector, especially the growing risks associated with unregulated online medicine sales.
Represented at the event by the Director of Food and Drug Services at the ministry, Olubumi Aribeana, the minister explained that while digital platforms have reshaped many sectors of Nigeria’s economy, the pharmaceutical industry has remained largely fragmented, with limited oversight of electronic drug sales.
According to him, this lack of regulation has created dangerous loopholes that allow substandard and falsified medicines, unlicensed vendors, and widespread misinformation to thrive within the system.
“Today marks a bold step forward in our collective mission to modernise healthcare delivery and ensure that every Nigerian has access to safe, affordable, and quality-assured medicines—no matter where they live,” Pate said.
“The NEPP is our strategic response. It provides a clear, enforceable framework for the regulation of electronic pharmacy services in Nigeria. It ensures that innovation does not come at the expense of safety.”
“With this policy, we are setting the foundation for a nationally coordinated e-pharmacy ecosystem that is transparent, secure, and patient-centred.”
He further stated that the framework would introduce licensing and accreditation standards for digital pharmacy platforms, enable real-time monitoring and traceability of pharmaceutical products, and improve access to essential medicines, particularly in underserved and remote communities across Nigeria.
“It establishes licensing and accreditation standards for digital pharmacy platforms, enables real-time monitoring and traceability of pharmaceutical products, improves access to essential medicines—especially in underserved and remote communities,” he said.
Pate added that the policy would promote accountability across the pharmaceutical value chain and described it as a product of extensive collaboration among regulatory and technology institutions.
He expressed appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, and digital governance bodies, including the National Information Technology Development Agency.
“I also want to thank the Nigeria Data Protection Commission and the Nigerian Communications Commission for their critical role in shaping the digital governance, data protection, and infrastructure frameworks that underpin this policy,” he said.
Speaking at the event, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, said the policy would provide strategic direction for regulation, noting that the council would serve as the implementing agency.
“We have developed the regulation to guide this particular endeavour. The regulation was approved by the Coordinating Minister of Health and endorsed by the Minister of Justice,” Ahmed said.
He expressed confidence that the implementation process would proceed smoothly, stressing that the council was fully prepared to carry out its mandate under the new framework.
Also speaking, the Director and Team Lead of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Foundation, Munir Elelu, described the initiative as a positive innovation that would strengthen primary healthcare delivery.
He said the policy would support services at primary healthcare centres, family planning programmes, and community-based healthcare initiatives, particularly in underserved areas.
The Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Pharmachain Technologies, David Adeyemi, who participated in drafting the policy, commended the team’s effort while highlighting the importance of implementation.
He noted that many policies in Nigeria fail due to weak execution but expressed confidence that the National Electronic Pharmacy Policy would achieve its objectives.
