Licensed pharmacists are those licensed to practice in the industry.

Mohammed, who disclosed this during a consultative meeting with Funding/Implementation partners in Abuja on Saturday, said there are over 21,000 registered pharmacists in the country.

Out of this figure, only 12,740 are licensed to practice in the industry.

The figure includes those in diaspora and public health institutions in the country.

Mohammed said the ration of pharmacists to the population is very low.

He said: “In Nigeria context, PCN record in 2014 revealed that only 190 Local Government Areas (24.5%) have at least one registered pharmacist, while 584 (75.5 per cent) do not have any registered pharmacist.”

“Over the years now, we have been carrying out regulatory activities by going out to close down premises that are not licensed to operate. Before now, like I said, there were so many court injunctions preventing us from carrying out regulatory activities and that’s why we have several unlicensed premises scattered all over the country.”