Kehinde Victor | Sep 5, 2026
KEY POINTS
- The Niger State Private Health Facilities Agency sealed 12 unregistered Islamic medicine stores in Minna and one facility in Katcha Local Government Area.
- Agency inspectors issued 21-day notices to 10 health facilities in Katcha to address identified operational deficiencies.
- Executive Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Suleiman announced plans for a trade fair to promote verified alternative medicine practitioners.
MAIN STORY
The Niger State Private Health Facilities Agency sealed 12 unregistered Islamic medicine stores in Minna and closed a health facility in Katcha Local Government Area over alleged non-compliance with regulatory standards.
NiSPHFA Executive Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Suleiman disclosed the enforcement actions in Minna while receiving members of the Islamic and Prophetic Medicine Practitioners’ Association of Nigeria.
“Our responsibility is to protect the people by ensuring that anyone providing healthcare services operates within the required standards,” said Dr. Abdullahi Suleiman, Executive Chairman of NiSPHFA.
The agency’s enforcement team inspected 10 health facilities across Katcha Local Government Area, identifying various irregularities requiring improvement. Officials issued 21-day notices to the affected facilities to correct the identified deficiencies, while sealing one facility for failing to comply with established standards.
Suleiman urged genuine alternative medicine practitioners to register with NiSPHFA to enable oversight and protect residents from unsafe products and practices. He emphasized that practitioners must maintain minimum standards of hygiene, sanitation, safe preparation, storage, proper packaging, and infection prevention while referring patients beyond their capacity to appropriate health facilities. Additionally, the agency announced plans to organize a trade fair for verified alternative medicine practitioners to promote legitimate practices and improve public confidence.
THE ISSUES The enforcement exercise forms part of the agency’s renewed efforts to protect residents from unsafe healthcare practices, enforce compliance with minimum standards, and foster stakeholder collaboration to promote a safer, quality-driven healthcare system across the state.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
- “Our responsibility is to protect the people by ensuring that anyone providing healthcare services operates within the required standards,” said Dr. Abdullahi Suleiman, Executive Chairman of NiSPHFA.
- “The association pledges its cooperation in ensuring that its members comply with regulatory requirements,” said Mr. Abdullahi Haske, Chairman of IPMPAN.
WHAT’S NEXT
- The 10 inspected health facilities in Katcha Local Government Area must correct their identified deficiencies within the 21-day notice period.
- NiSPHFA will organize a trade fair for verified alternative medicine practitioners to promote legitimate practices across the state.
BOTTOM LINE
NiSPHFA’s enforcement actions demonstrate an active push to balance strict health regulation with support for verified alternative medicine providers.
