Official documents

Regulations & guidelines

Electronic Pharmacy Regulations, 2026

Citation: S.I. No. 8 of 2026
Published: 13 February 2026
Publication details: Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette No. 33, Vol. 113, Government Notice No. 12, Lagos, 13 February 2026, pages B81–B108. Made at Abuja on 9 February 2026.
Official PCN source: https://pcn.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Electronic-Pharmacy-Regulation-2026-B81-108.pdf
Version on this portal: 1 · 8.3 MB PDF

Regulations made under the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2022 for the registration, licensing and operation of electronic pharmacies in Nigeria.

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Applicant guide

A guide to the Electronic Pharmacy Regulations, 2026

This guide is an explanatory summary to help applicants find their way. It is not the law and does not change its meaning. Passages marked Official wording are quoted from the Regulations. Where this guide and the official document differ, the official document prevails.

Registration

Regulation 3: An electronic pharmacy in Nigeria must be registered with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria. Electronic pharmacies include electronic pharmaceutical service providers and electronic pharmacy aggregators.
Regulation 4(1): An application to register as an electronic pharmaceutical service provider is made to the Registrar of the Council by the Superintendent Pharmacist designated to oversee the electronic pharmacy.
Regulation 4(2): The application includes, among other things: an application letter; the company certificate of incorporation (or business name registration); certified true copies of the articles and memorandum of association and of the directors' particulars; standard operating procedures; evidence of payment of the prescribed fee; the Superintendent Pharmacist's letter of appointment and, where applicable, current annual licence; NYSC certificate or exemption; the premises registration certificate where applicable; a partnership agreement for providers without physical premises; a service level agreement with an aggregator where applicable; undertakings by the Managing Director and the Superintendent Pharmacist; and any other requirement the Council determines.
Regulation 4(3): Registration is subject to the appointment of a Superintendent Pharmacist to oversee professional service delivery and operations.
Regulation 4(5): Any revision of a service level agreement with an aggregator must be sent to the Council within 30 days.
Regulation 4(6): Electronic pharmaceutical service providers registered before the Regulations commenced must submit any additional documents required by regulation 4(2) within six months of commencement.
Regulation 4(7): The Council is to digitalise the registration process.

Licensing

Regulation 5(1)–(2): The Council issues an electronic pharmacy licence on meeting the registration requirements and in line with Good Pharmacy Practices. To be eligible, a provider must be registered under regulation 4, have registered and licensed premises (or a partnership agreement), comply with Good Pharmacy Practices, maintain proper storage conditions, follow telemedicine guidelines, and meet any other requirement of the Council.
Regulation 5(4), 32(1): A licensed electronic pharmacy (and an aggregator) must use the Council's nodal platform as a gateway.
Regulation 32(2): A licensed pharmacist must be available at all times to ensure pharmaceutical service delivery.
Regulation 32(4), 33: Registration fees, and inspection fees for any sector of the pharmaceutical industry, are as prescribed by the Council.

Renewal

Regulation 6(1): The licence expires every year on 31 December and is due for renewal on 1 January of the following year.
Official wording
“The Licence of an electronic pharmaceutical service provider shall expire on the 31st day of December of every year and be due for renewal on the 1st day of January of the following year.”
Regulation 6(2): The renewal procedure is as prescribed in guidelines made under the Regulations.
Regulation 9(4): An electronic pharmacy aggregator's licence also expires on 31 December and is due for renewal on 1 January.
Regulation 41: A licence not renewed by 31 January attracts a late payment fee of 50 percent of the applicable fee, in addition to the renewal fee.
Official wording
“A registered electronic pharmaceutical service provider or electronic pharmacy aggregator that fails, refuses or neglects to renew its electronic pharmacy Licence by the 31st day of January of every year, shall, in addition to paying the prescribed renewable fee, pay 50 percent of the applicable fee as late payment fees.”
Regulation 32(3): A temporary closure may be requested for at most 12 months, and renewal fees are payable for the period of closure.

Electronic pharmacy aggregators

Regulation 7: An aggregator must register with and be licensed by the Council; failing to obtain an operating licence is an offence.
Regulation 8: The application is made by the designated Superintendent Pharmacist and includes the company's incorporation and constitutional documents, directors' particulars, a board resolution, technology policy documents, service level agreements, and registration with NITDA (or the responsible agency) and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission. The aggregator must display its registered address and the Superintendent Pharmacist's telephone number on its platform.
Regulation 9: The licence is issued on meeting the requirements, including evidence of registration and fee payment, the Superintendent Pharmacist's CV and practice licence, place of business and hosting, a platform prototype, a risk management framework, and an agreement to link the platform to the National Electronic Pharmacy Platform.
Regulation 10–11: An aggregator must report to the Council and suspend services to a provider that sells without registration, without a required prescription or beyond prescribed limits, or keeps operating after losing its licence; and must cooperate with the Council's directives, inspection and monitoring.

What an electronic pharmacy must display

Regulation 12: On the site: the name, full registration number and licensing status of the Superintendent Pharmacist and other professionals (home page); registered addresses; telephone number and email; the declaration about Prescription Only Medicines; the registration number of the licensed premises and the licence number (home page); how to complain; the authorised PCN logo; the Council's contact information; and anything else the Council requires.

Changes, suspension and revocation

Regulation 13: Apply to the Registrar within 30 days of any change or variation affecting the licence, such as the Superintendent Pharmacist, sites, platform, scope or areas of practice.
Regulation 14(1): Where the Regulations or the Act are breached, or false information was given, the Registrar issues a notice of breach requiring reasons, within 14 days of receipt, why the licence should not be suspended, revoked, modified, withdrawn or cancelled.
Regulation 14(2)–16: For the rest of regulation 14, closure of facility (regulation 15) and compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 (regulation 16), read the official PDF.

Inspection and monitoring

Regulation 17: The Council's inspectors may, among other powers, require access to the backend of a website or platform, examine and copy records, retrieve information, and take down an unregistered or unlicensed platform or seal premises where access is refused (17(3)). Everyone involved must assist the inspectors (17(4)). Personal data retrieved is processed only to investigate breaches (17(7)). Read the official PDF for regulation 17 in full.

Operating an electronic pharmacy

Regulation 18: Operate in line with Good Pharmacy Practices; meet standards for user-friendliness, security and data privacy; give clear product information; provide a secure system to submit prescriptions, with checks on authenticity and identity, and fill each prescription only once.
Regulation 19: Provide mechanisms for consultation, user education, complaints and feedback, reporting of adverse reactions and medication errors, and clear protocols for receiving and verifying electronic prescriptions.
Regulation 20: Prescription-Only Medicines are dispensed only against a valid prescription from an authorised prescriber with a physical address in Nigeria. A valid prescription contains the details listed in 20(4); a scanned written prescription counts as an e-prescription; a prescription is valid for 6 months unless policy says otherwise.
Regulation 21–23: A pharmacist must be available online at all times for counselling. Client identity is verified before purchase (valid prescription, personal information, national identification upload and phone number verification). Quantities may not exceed the prescription.
Regulation 24: Controlled medicines and dangerous drugs under the Dangerous Drugs Act may not be sold online.
Regulation 25–29: Over-the-counter sales, advertisement, pricing and discounting follow the relevant laws and NAFDAC approvals; user information is protected and identities verified; storage, delivery and quality follow Good Distribution Practices, with tamper-evident packaging and a full audit trail.
Regulation 30–31: Records are kept for at least 5 years. User data is collected only as needed, protected (including encryption), access-controlled and logged, kept for 5 years and then deleted or anonymised, in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act.

General provisions

Regulation 34: The Council uses its official logo on the nodal platform, and no one may display the PCN logo or a licence not approved by the Council (34(1)–(3)). A Superintendent Pharmacist may register only one electronic pharmacy; registering or attempting to register more than one is an offence leading to closure of the platform and referral to the Investigating Panel and the Disciplinary Tribunal (34(4)).
Official wording
“A Superintendent Pharmacist shall be eligible to register only one electronic pharmacy, any Superintendent Pharmacist who registers or attempts to register more than one electronic pharmacy commits an offence …”
Regulation 35: Cross-border online sale of drugs is prohibited, except for life-saving medicines sold by a registered and currently licensed pharmacist from a documented source, lawfully in both countries.
Regulation 36: A National Electronic Pharmacy Platform is established. All online drug orders are to be placed through it; providers' and aggregators' platforms must be linked to it; users register with a valid means of identification; services are for adults only.
Regulation 37–38: The Council educates the public on the Regulations and provides confidential channels for reporting non-compliance.

Offences and penalties

Regulation 39: False statement or misrepresentation to obtain registration or licensing: administrative fine of ₦500,000.00.
Regulation 40: Displaying, producing or using a fake licence, certificate or logo, or the Council's logo without registration: up to two years' imprisonment or a fine of ₦2,000,000.00, plus closure of the platform.
Regulation 41: Late renewal (after 31 January): 50 percent of the applicable fee, in addition to the renewal fee.
Regulation 42: Operating as an electronic pharmaceutical service provider without registration and licence: up to two years' imprisonment or a fine of ₦2,500,000.00 or both, plus closure.
Regulation 43: Operating an electronic pharmacy aggregator without registration and licence: a fine of ₦3,000,000.00 or two years' imprisonment or both.
Regulation 44–45: Failing to provide backend access for inspection, or obstructing the Council's inspectors: up to two years' imprisonment or a fine of ₦2,000,000.00 or both.
Regulation 46: Dispensing Prescription-Only Medicines without a valid prescription, or unauthorised online disposal of drugs: up to two years' imprisonment or a fine of ₦2,000,000.00 or both.
Regulation 47–49: Dispensing controlled medicines and dangerous drugs online, or cross-border online sale or purchase in breach of the Regulations: up to two years' imprisonment or a fine of ₦2,500,000.00 or both.
Regulation 50: Directors, officers and the Superintendent Pharmacist may be personally liable for offences of a corporate body; a provider is vicariously liable for its agents and employees.
Regulation 51: Where no specific penalty is set: an individual is liable to six months' imprisonment or a fine of not less than ₦500,000.00 or both; a corporate body to a fine of not less than ₦2,000,000.00.