The world’s first Community Pharmacist Assessment and Career Progression Institute (CPACPI) initiative has continued to attract growing support for its pioneering framework designed to drive structured career progression in Nigeria and across the global healthcare sector.
This milestone followed the successful Stakeholders Engagement Meeting held on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at the Newton Park Hotel and Resort in Abuja, where leaders of the pharmacy profession, government regulators, development partners, and private sector stakeholders gathered to strengthen collaboration around the transformative initiative.
A major highlight of the meeting was the announcement that the CPACPI framework was endorsed by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) during its 83rd World Congress in Copenhagen. The endorsed marks a defining moment for community pharmacy practice globally, reinforcing CPACPI’s position as a groundbreaking model for professional development, quality assurance, and healthcare transformation.
Known as “Pharmacy Forward: Performance, Collaboration and Health Transformation,” the initiative presents a structured professional pathway designed to transition community pharmacies from traditional medicine outlets into sophisticated clinical health hubs operating within the primary healthcare system.
At the centre of this milestone is Pharm. Ambrose Igwekamma Ezeh, National Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), who delivered the welcome address and reaffirmed the profession’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery through improved capacity development.
Pharm. Ezeh emphasized that community pharmacists remain the most accessible healthcare professionals, noting that nearly 60 percent of patients seek help from pharmacists before visiting hospitals.
He explained that when pharmacists operate within a structured professional system supported by continuous learning and evaluation, the quality of healthcare delivery improves significantly.
Reflecting on the role of pharmacists during the global health crisis of the COVID-19 Pandemic, he noted that community pharmacists played a critical role in providing frontline support and ensuring access to medicines. According to him, the CPACPI initiative is designed to evaluate, support, and elevate community pharmacy practice, while rewarding competence, strengthening professional confidence, and improving job satisfaction across the sector.
The technical depth of the framework was presented by Dr. Iyeseun Asieba, Chairman of the CPACPI Board, in a presentation titled “A Competency-Driven Community Pharmacist Workforce.”
Dr. Asieba highlighted the urgent need to mobilize Nigeria’s health sector potential in the face of the growing professional migration trend widely referred to as the “Japa Syndrome.” She warned that the shortage of skilled healthcare personnel continues to affect the performance of the health system.
According to her, transforming community pharmacies into clinical health hubs through targeted investments in training, infrastructure, and professional development would enable Nigeria not only to strengthen its healthcare delivery system but also to exceed global standards in pharmacy practice.
She explained that CPACPI is not simply a training institution but a comprehensive professional development platform that introduces standardized evaluation procedures across three major pillars: capacity building, quality improvement, and career band progression.
Her position was reinforced by Dr. Ibironke Dada, who led the Quality Assurance and Improvement segment, where she outlined minimum standards for practice aimed at protecting patients and ensuring consistent professional excellence across community pharmacy settings.
Providing further academic depth, Professor Emeka Ubaka presented a detailed career progression roadmap for community pharmacists—an initiative widely described by stakeholders as the first of its kind globally.
Professor Ubaka explained that the CPACPI model removes historical disparities that once placed community pharmacy practice at a disadvantage compared to other professional sectors. Under the new structure, the professional status and career trajectory of community pharmacists will align with the highest levels of the pharmaceutical profession.
He outlined four major professional bands within the framework:Community Pharmacist,Senior Community Pharmacist,Senior Community Pharmacist Specialist,Consultant Pharmacist
He stressed that advancement across these levels will require deliberate career development, objective assessment, and measurable professional competence. Professor Ubaka also encouraged pharmacists across the country to serve as regional champions in order to ensure the sustainability and nationwide implementation of the initiative.
Dr Peter Agada spoke on Strengthening Primary Healthcare through Community Pharmacists: Integration with National Health Priorities, Opportunities for Collaboration. He highlighted the critical roles Community Pharmacists can play in expanding access to prevention of diseases, and providing treatment and care and support for patients within the primary health care system and public health space, significantly contributing to improving health outcomes in Nigeria.
In recognition of private sector leadership supporting the framework, the institute also honored several Champions and Captains of Industry who are helping to drive innovation and professional excellence within community pharmacy practice.
Among those recognized were Pharm. Chidi Dozie, CEO of Dozie & Dozie Pharmacy; Pharm. Ikechukwu John Ugwu, CEO of Pharmacare Pharmacy; Pharm. Josephine Ehimen, CEO of Nett Pharmacy; and Dr. Jaiyesimi Obajimi, CEO of Finrel Pharmacy, alongside other industry leaders committed to strengthening grassroots implementation.
The engagement also received strong endorsements from the leadership of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), whose President, Pharm.Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim as well as the Registrar of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) Pharm, Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed attended the meeting, signaling unified support from the entire pharmaceutical profession.
He was joined by members of the ACPN National Executive Committee, including Hon. Victor Afani Victor, Pharm. Omokhafe Ashore, and other national officers, as well as chairmen and secretaries representing ACPN state branches from across the federation.
A key pillar of leadership within the association, Pharm. Chief U.N.O. Uwaga, was also formally recognized in his role as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ACPN.
Other prominent leaders present at the engagement included Pharm. Uchenna Apakama, Chairman of the PSN Board of Fellows; Pharm. Azubuike Okwor and Pharm Olumide Akintayo, Past Presidents of PSN; Pharm. Adewale Oladigbolu, Immediate Past National Chairman of ACPN; Pharm. Munir Elelu, Program Director and Team Lead of the PSN Foundation; and Dr. Omotayo IIlupeju of the PCN.
CEOAFRICA report that the meeting attracted a broad coalition of development partners and institutional stakeholders including the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), the Federal Ministry of Health Nigeria, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC), the Society for Family Health (SFH), and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI).
Additional partners represented at the meeting included the the Howard University Global Initiative Nigeria (HUGIN), the Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI), the Population Services International (PSI),MSI Reproductive Choices, EhA,, the Yakubu Gowon Centre, and Jhpiego, alongside private sector organizations such as Wella Health and OPay Nigeria.
In conclusion, stakeholders emphasized that the long-term success of the CPACPI framework will depend on sustained collaboration between government institutions, regulatory bodies, development partners, and the wider pharmaceutical community.
The CPACPI leadership therefore called on the Federal Ministry of Health Nigeria and relevant stakeholders to provide the legislative, financial, and institutional support necessary to sustain the initiative.
By institutionalizing this structured professional pathway, Nigeria is not only reforming the community pharmacy profession but also laying the foundation for a future in which every community pharmacy evolves into a center of clinical excellence, strengthening national health security and advancing the global transformation of pharmacy practice.
