The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has concluded a high-level strategic engagement with the Community Pharmacist Assessment and Career Progression Institute (CPACPI), marking a significant milestone in the ongoing reform of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical ecosystem.

The meeting, held on February 17, 2026, underscored a shared commitment to strengthening regulation, professional development, and technology-driven service delivery within the pharmacy sector. Stakeholders described the engagement as a critical step toward integrating innovation with regulatory oversight to enhance healthcare quality, access, and sustainability nationwide.

As the statutory regulator of pharmacy practice in Nigeria, the PCN is mandated to establish and enforce standards across all areas of professional practice, ensuring ethical conduct, operational integrity, and continuous professional development. These responsibilities are reinforced through its Education Committee, which sets academic and training benchmarks, and the Pharmacy Practice Committee, which oversees compliance and monitors pharmacy operations across the country.

A major outcome of the engagement was a consensus on leveraging the National e-Pharmacy framework as a transformative tool for healthcare delivery. Participants agreed that digital pharmacy solutions would play a central role in improving efficiency, transparency, and patient access, while aligning community pharmacy practice with Nigeria’s broader digital health architecture. The parties also committed to ensuring that professional assessment and career progression processes are conducted with the highest standards of quality, fairness, and accountability.

Speaking on the significance of the initiative, the National Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Pharm Ambrose Igwekamma Ezeh, described the partnership as a turning point for frontline pharmacy practice.

“By embracing innovation and fostering collaboration, we are not merely responding to present challenges; we are shaping a future in which the pharmacist assumes a central leadership role in the digital health era,” he said.

He added that the initiative would systematically evaluate, support, and elevate community pharmacy practice across Nigeria, urging pharmacists to fully embrace the programme to enhance professional visibility and improve health outcomes.

According to Ezeh, CPACPI—established by the ACPN—will enable pharmacists to deliver safer, more patient-centred care while providing structured recognition through transparent career progression pathways. He called on practitioners nationwide to participate actively in the training and assessment programmes, noting that the initiative has the potential to set new benchmarks for pharmacy practice beyond Nigeria.

The partnership also represents a broader call to excellence in the training and regulation of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. By collaborating with technical partners such as ACPN- CPACPI.

Furthermore, the initiative aligns with the broader objectives of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (NAPHARM) to strengthen health security and enhance professionalism.

In his remarks, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the PCN, Pharm Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, emphasized that sustainable success in the evolving pharmaceutical landscape requires a shift from traditional commodity-based practice to a value-driven, technology-integrated model.

“Our objective is not only to guarantee access to quality healthcare, but also to promote j capacity building, technology transfer, and sustainable revenue generation,” he said.

He concluded that the partnership represents a strategic, long-term commitment to safeguarding public health, eliminating unregulated practices, and securing a healthier future for all Nigerians.