Two acronyms quietly govern almost every legitimate medicine transaction in Nigeria: NAFDAC and PCN. They are not the same thing.
NAFDAC regulates the product
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control oversees the medicine itself — registration, manufacturing standards, importation, and post-market surveillance. If a drug isn't on the NAFDAC Greenbook, it shouldn't be on a shelf.
PCN regulates the practice
The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria licenses pharmacists and pharmacy premises. A real pharmacy operates under a PCN-registered superintendent pharmacist and a valid premises licence.
What buyers should check
Before paying anyone for medicine: confirm the pharmacy's PCN premises licence is current, and that the product is NAFDAC-registered. On MedOasis, both checks are baked into vendor onboarding.