The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has called for a sweeping transformation of pharmacy practice in Nigeria, warning that the mass migration of pharmacists, weak regulatory systems, medicine insecurity and the escalating abuse of drugs and other substances are posing growing threats to public health and national development.

The association made the call at its 45th Annual National Scientific Conference, held from July 27 to August 1, 2026, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, where senior government officials, regulators, legislators, professional leaders and pharmaceutical industry stakeholders gathered to deliberate on the future of pharmacy practice and the broader healthcare system.

Held under the theme, “UNITY 2026: From Local Pharmacy Practice to Global Impact – Managing Complex Healthcare Systems,” the conference provided a high-level platform for discussions on healthcare governance, medicine security, workforce development, universal health coverage, digital regulation and Nigeria’s worsening drug abuse crisis.

Speaking at the conference, ACPN National Chairman, Pharm. Ezeh Ambrose Igwekamma, described the gathering as a defining moment for deeper collaboration between the pharmacy profession and government.

Igwekamma said pharmacists remained ready to work with government and other stakeholders in the national interest, urging policymakers to recognise the profession as a strategic partner in healthcare governance and national development.

The conference attracted prominent personalities, including Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard M. Doro; Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago; President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim; and several past PSN leaders.

Akume commended ACPN for its contribution to quality medicine and urged pharmacists to strengthen collaboration with state governments, particularly in addressing medicine security and related health challenges.

PSN President and chief host, Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, stressed the importance of professional unity and policy alignment, noting that community pharmacists remain among the most accessible healthcare professionals and often serve as the first point of contact for millions of Nigerians seeking medical assistance.

Representing Governor Bago, Niger State Commissioner for Health, Dr Murtala Muhammad Bagana, described community pharmacies as resilient frontline healthcare centres whose strategic role should be fully integrated into Nigeria’s primary healthcare system.

The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, said the council was strengthening professional regulation, including efforts to advance online pharmacy regulation.

He also disclosed that the PCN facilitated specialised Mandatory Continuing Professional Development training during the conference, covering cardiopulmonary resuscitation, professional ethics and substance abuse prevention.

Delivering the keynote address, titled “Raising Community Pharmacy Practice in Nigeria to Global Standards: Navigating the Complex Nigerian Political System,” Pharm. Wale Oyenuga challenged stakeholders to move pharmacy practice beyond traditional product dispensing and reposition it as a comprehensive healthcare service.

Oyenuga proposed a five-pillar transformation agenda centred on a unified national vision, rigorous quality frameworks, digital-first data practices, formal integration of community pharmacists into primary healthcare and greater participation in healthcare financing through the National Health Insurance Authority Act.

He argued that although community pharmacists are among the most accessible healthcare professionals in Nigeria, they remain largely unintegrated into national health policy, a gap he said must be addressed if the country is to attain global standards comparable with systems in Europe, North America and leading African countries.

The call for reform was echoed by other pharmacy leaders.

Chairman of the Board of Fellows of the PSN, Pharm. Uche Nroegbu Apakama, urged senior pharmacists to mentor younger professionals, champion health equity and become more actively involved in policy formulation at federal, state and local government levels.

National Chairman of the Clinical Pharmacists Association of Nigeria (CPAN), Dr Maureen Nwafor, described collaboration between community and clinical pharmacists as a critical bridge for ensuring continuity of patient care.

Similarly, National Chairman of the Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria (AHAPN), Pharm. Elechi Oyim, said the complexity of Nigeria’s healthcare system demanded stronger cooperation among pharmacists across all practice settings to advance universal health coverage, medicine security, patient-centred care and sound health policies.

National Chairman of the Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP), Pharm. Sir Bankole Aminu Ezebuilo, also called for deeper collaboration across the pharmaceutical value chain.

The conference further highlighted the changing nature of medicine regulation, with NAFDAC warning that global supply chains, cross-border commerce, digital marketplaces, emerging diseases, antimicrobial resistance, artificial intelligence and increasingly sophisticated counterfeit medicine networks were reshaping the healthcare environment.

Representing NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, Dr Ramatu Momodu said the agency’s responsibility extended beyond product registration to the entire lifecycle of medicines, stressing the need to ensure that pharmaceutical products remained safe and effective.

She described community pharmacists as indispensable partners in protecting the medicine supply chain, urging practitioners to maximise digital regulatory tools such as the NAFDAC Greenbook, Med Safety App and Scan2Verify technology.

Momodu called on practitioners to ensure that every community pharmacy functions as a surveillance post and every pharmacist acts as a guardian of the medicine supply chain.

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) also called for stronger integration of community pharmacists into Nigeria’s healthcare financing and universal health coverage framework.

Representing NPHCDA Executive Director, Dr Muyiwa Aina, Pharm. Hauwa said achieving universal health coverage would require formal policy integration of community pharmacists, an expanded clinical scope of practice and their inclusion in health insurance reimbursement models.

NHIA Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Kelechi Ohiri, similarly advocated greater use of Nigeria’s extensive community pharmacy network to expand healthcare coverage and facilitate more effective decentralised health financing.

But perhaps the most alarming issue raised at the conference was the accelerating migration of pharmacy professionals from Nigeria.

Igwekamma disclosed that approximately 9,000 pharmacists had emigrated from Nigeria in the four-and-a-half years leading to December 2025, attributing the trend to poor reward systems, delayed enforcement of drug distribution guidelines and disorganised medicine procurement networks.

He said the exodus had continued into 2026, revealing that more than 850 pharmacists obtained letters of good standing from the PCN within the first six months of the year in preparation to relocate to countries including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States.

According to him, the continued departure of skilled professionals was creating a serious manpower shortage with implications for patient safety, healthcare delivery and the sustainability of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector.

To reverse the trend and strengthen the pharmaceutical industry, ACPN called on the Federal Government to support executive and private-member bills targeting some of the sector’s most persistent challenges.

The association proposed amendments to the Fake Drug Act to introduce tougher penalties, including 20 years’ imprisonment for first-time offenders and life imprisonment with total asset forfeiture for repeat offenders.

It also advocated the establishment of a Drug Management Agency to institutionalise the Drug Revolving Fund, as well as the creation of a National Postgraduate College of Pharmacy to train specialist pharmacists locally, reduce dependence on foreign training and conserve foreign exchange.

Igwekamma further recommended the establishment of a Presidential Committee on the Pharmaceutical Sector to drive the proposed legislative agenda and address longstanding bottlenecks affecting the industry.

The ACPN chairman also raised concern over the country’s drug abuse crisis, citing United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) data which he said indicated that more than 21.2 million Nigerians abuse various substances.

He identified unemployment, poverty, dysfunctional family structures, peer pressure, inadequate public awareness, weak enforcement of drug laws, porous borders, corruption, poor prescription control and social media influence among the major drivers of substance abuse.

The association consequently called for tougher penalties against illicit drug dispensers, increased taxation of tobacco and alcohol, modern rehabilitation centres and improved capacity for agencies including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), PCN and NAFDAC.

Beyond policy advocacy, ACPN demonstrated its commitment to grassroots intervention through the final of its National Secondary School Anti-Drug Competition, where young ambassadors campaigned against substance abuse.

The association also organised medical outreach and community health sensitisation programmes across the Federal Capital Territory, providing residents with free screenings, vaccinations and preventive healthcare services.

Professional development was another major focus of the conference, with specialised technical sessions and masterclasses designed to strengthen practitioners’ competencies and address workforce challenges.

ACPN National Chairman, Pharm. Ambrose Ezeh, and Chairman of the CPACPI Board, Dr Iyeseun Asieba, presented certificates to practitioners who completed competency-based training, recognising their advancement across professional bands and their contribution to efforts aimed at addressing manpower shortages.

Human-resource experts also challenged pharmacy owners to adopt fair remuneration systems and stronger delegation structures as part of measures to curb professional migration.

A financial education masterclass delivered by Pharm. Ike John Ugwu, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Pharmacare Pharmacy, further urged pharmacists to look beyond operational competence and develop stronger enterprise leadership and financial management skills.

Ugwu encouraged practitioners to improve their financial literacy, manage debt responsibly and build diversified, multi-stream investment portfolios.

The conference exhibition also attracted more than 100 corporate exhibitors, who showcased products and technologies aimed at transforming pharmacy operations and healthcare delivery, including digital health solutions such as Medbooks by Plutus Page and Karate Soft Drugs.

One of the major ceremonial moments came with the unveiling of a new healthcare product by ACPN National Chairman, Pharm. Ezeh Ambrose Igwekamma, alongside Board of Fellows Chairman, Pharm. Uche Apakama, and regulatory representatives.

The conference also featured awards and commemorative presentations to outstanding contributors to the pharmacy profession, including PSN President Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, Conference Planning Committee Vice Chairman Pharm. Isaac Olufunminiyi, CPC Secretary Pharm. Nwamaka Ezedinma, past CPC Chairman Pharm. Lawrence Ekhator, national executive officials, exemplary state chairpersons and consultant pharmacists from across the country.

The five-day gathering ended with a grand gala night chaired by Dr Bernard M. Doro and attended by distinguished guests, regulatory representatives, traditional leaders and delegates from across Nigeria.

As the conference drew to a close, the message from the profession was unmistakable: the future of Nigerian pharmacy is inseparable from the future of the country’s healthcare system.

From community pharmacies to government policy, medicine regulation, workforce development and drug-abuse prevention, the ACPN conference underscored the urgent need for a new approach capable of matching the changing realities of Nigeria’s healthcare landscape.

For the association, UNITY 2026 was more than an annual professional gathering. It was a forceful declaration that pharmacy practice must evolve, regulation must become stronger, pharmacists must receive greater investment and protection, and collaboration across the health sector must become central to Nigeria’s development agenda.

The ACPN reaffirmed its commitment to innovation, leadership, policy advocacy, youth development and the continuous advancement of pharmaceutical care, with the ultimate objective of ensuring that Nigerians have access to safe, effective, affordable and quality healthcare.