Residents of Life Camp in Abuja are questioning the decision of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) to approve the operation of a pharmacy within an NNPC Limited filling station, warning that the location poses potential health and safety risks.
The controversy surrounds an H-Medix outlet situated inside the NNPC fuel station premises in the Life Camp area of the Federal Capital Territory.
Locals argue that storing and selling medicines in close proximity to fuel pumps and storage tanks could expose pharmaceutical products to toxic fumes, fuel vapours and fire hazards, potentially compromising drug quality and public safety.
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Several residents who spoke at the site said the arrangement raises environmental and health concerns, urging regulators to clarify whether due process was strictly followed before granting approval.
When contacted, officials of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria confirmed that H-Medix was duly licensed. Abana Lawan, Head of the Council’s Legal Unit, explained that the approval was granted after what he described as a “demarcation” within the premises that satisfied regulatory standards.
Lawan added that the Council also considered the need to prevent monopoly in pharmacy practice and to expand access to pharmaceutical services.
However, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the PCN, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, declined to comment during a visit by journalists, citing an ongoing meeting.
Residents remain unconvinced. Cyril Chizoba warned that operating a medicine store within a petrol station environment presents “serious health risks,” including possible exposure to toxic fuel fumes and chemical contaminants.
He also expressed fears about drug contamination from potential fuel spills or leaks.
Another resident, commercial driver Solomon Dauda, said he was surprised regulators approved the location, noting that petrol and gas are dispensed daily at the facility.
Medical expert Dr. Gaius Mikinta cautioned that improper storage conditions, particularly for temperature-sensitive medications, could reduce drug efficacy or pose health dangers.
Medicines, he stressed, require controlled environments free from excessive heat, contamination and volatile substances.
While regulators maintain that safety requirements were met, residents are calling for greater transparency, stricter oversight, and an independent inspection to reassure the public that pharmaceutical standards are not being compromised.