The Plateau State delegation to the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has commended the leadership of the association for the successful organisation of its 45th Annual National Conference, tagged “Unity 2026.”

The conference, held from July 27 to August 1, 2026, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, brought together senior government officials, regulatory authorities, legislators, healthcare professionals, pharmaceutical industry leaders and community pharmacists from across the country.

Held under the theme, “UNITY 2026: From Local Pharmacy Practice to Global Impact, Managing Complex Healthcare Systems,” the conference provided a platform for stakeholders to examine the future of community pharmacy practice, healthcare delivery, regulation and the economic challenges confronting the profession.

While the conference has ended, its impact, resolutions and professional engagements are expected to continue to resonate within the pharmacy profession and the broader Nigerian healthcare system.

Speaking on the outcome of the conference, Pharm. Obiora Emeka Valentine, Secretary of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Plateau State, said feedback from participants, stakeholders and partner organisations had been overwhelmingly positive.

Obiora, who said he personally sought the views of stakeholders, ACPN members and partner companies that participated in the conference, attributed the success of the gathering to the commitment, coordination and strategic direction of the ACPN National Executive led by Pharm. Ezeh Ambrose Igwekamma.

He said the conference demonstrated the capacity of the current leadership to translate professional vision into practical outcomes capable of impacting pharmacists across states and communities.

Similarly, the CEO of Sellmed Pharmacy, Jos, and Treasurer of PSN, Pharm. Blessing Ghensel, described the conference as a remarkable achievement and a source of pride for members of the profession.

Ghensel expressed appreciation to the Chairman of the Occasion, the Executive Governor of Niger State, Umaru Bago, who was represented by the Niger State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Murtala Muhammad Bagana, for his role in the opening ceremony.

She also commended the Special Guest of Honour, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, CFR, for gracing the occasion alongside his entourage.

In his address, Akume commended community pharmacists for their contribution to ensuring access to quality medicines and urged practitioners to continue working towards making pharmaceutical products affordable and accessible to ordinary Nigerians.

He also called for improved drug-pricing models, subsidies and other forms of assistance to cushion the impact of rising costs on patients and stakeholders across the pharmaceutical sector.

Reflecting on the strategic vision behind “Unity 2026,” Ghensel said the conference represented the realisation of a long-standing aspiration within the profession to strengthen unity, modernise community pharmacy practice and develop a collective response to the regulatory and economic challenges confronting pharmacists nationwide.

She applauded the ACPN National Executive led by National Chairman, Pharm. Ezeh Ambrose Igwekamma, the CPC Chairman, Pharm. Chidi Dozie, FPSN and National Secretary, Pharm. Obiageri Ethel Ikwu, for delivering what she described as a world-class conference that enhanced the unity, visibility and professional standing of community pharmacists in Nigeria.

Obiora similarly praised the leadership for building an association increasingly focused on measurable results, stressing that effective leadership must translate into tangible benefits for pharmacists not only at the national level but also across states and individual communities.

The calibre of participants further underscored the national significance of the conference, which attracted prominent healthcare leaders, past presidents of the PSN, former ACPN national chairmen, policymakers and corporate stakeholders.

Among those in attendance were the Chairman of the ACPN Board of Trustees and former PSN President, Pharm. Dr. Chief U. N. O. Uwaga, as well as former PSN Presidents including Pharm. Yaro Budah, Pharm. Azubuike B. Okwor, Pharm. Olumide Akintayo and Pharm. Prof. Cyril Usifoh.

Also present were former ACPN National Chairmen, including Pharm. Deji Osinoiki, Pharm. Williams Etubiebi, Pharm. Dr. Ejiro Foyibo, Pharm. Olufemi Adebayo and Pharm. Dr. Samuel Adekola, alongside corporate leaders and policy experts.

Other high-profile participants included the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Pharm. Dr. Bernard Mohammed Doro; the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, represented by Mrs. Olufowobi Adeola-Yusuf; the Executive Director of NPHCDA, Dr. Muyi Aina, represented by Pharm. Hauwa Tensei; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, represented by Hon. Amos Magaji; PSN President, Pharm. Ayuba Ibrahim Tanko; PCN Registrar, Pharm. I. B. Ahmed; and NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by Dr. Rametu Momudu.

Dr. Momudu urged pharmacists to embrace digital regulatory and medicine-safety tools, including the NAFDAC Greenbook, Med Safety App and Scan2Verify, while emphasising the need for pharmacies to function as important points for medicine surveillance.

The keynote speaker, Pharm. Wale Oyenuga, Managing Director of Evans Therapeutics, challenged pharmacists to become more actively involved in politics and policymaking, stressing that greater professional engagement with the political system was necessary to advance pharmacy practice and position it for global competitiveness.

The conference also produced a communiqué containing far-reaching policy recommendations aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system and improving the operating environment for community pharmacists.

Participants identified community pharmacies as an underutilised platform for expanding access to primary healthcare services and called for their integration into the delivery of basic hypertension and diabetes screening, antenatal care, family planning and malaria advocacy.

They noted that expanding such services through community pharmacies could help decongest overstretched hospitals while bringing essential healthcare services closer to Nigerians.

The association also raised concern over the reported migration of more than 9,500 pharmacists from Nigeria within the past two years, attributing the development to poor practice environments, inadequate remuneration and other systemic challenges.

To address the situation, ACPN called for legislative interventions, including amendments to the Fake Drug Act to introduce tougher penalties for counterfeit drug offences.

The association also advocated the establishment of a Federal Drug Management Agency to centralise pooled procurement for the 10 per cent Basic National Healthcare Provision Fund, as well as the creation of a National Postgraduate College of Pharmacists to strengthen specialist training and enhance local capacity.

The conference further called for stronger enforcement against illicit drug peddling and unapproved drug dispensers contributing to the country's drug abuse challenge, while advocating the establishment of modern rehabilitation centres across the six geopolitical zones.

It also urged the National Assembly to reject legislation capable of undermining the healthcare sector and commended lawmakers for the rejection of the proposed NHFRA Bill.

The conference mandated senior members of the profession to intervene in resolving the reported illegal detention of a pharmacist and called on regulatory agencies, including the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), NAFDAC and NDLEA, to strengthen oversight of private hospital pharmacies operating outside existing regulatory provisions.

The gathering also culminated in the election of the 2026/2027 National Executive Council of ACPN, with Pharm. Ezeh Ambrose Igwekamma emerging as National Chairman and Pharm. Adegboyega Oguntoye as National Vice Chairman.

Others elected into the executive council are Pharm. Obiageri Ethel Ikwu, National Secretary; Pharm. Chioma Chike-Nwankwo, National Assistant Secretary; Pharm. Roland Tomiwa Rotimi, National Treasurer; Pharm. Giwa Babajide Hammed, National Financial Secretary; Pharm. Luke Atang Bokynyam, National Internal Auditor; Pharm. Samira Abubakar Umar, National Editor-in-Chief; Pharm. Akpan Tony Anderson, National Publicity Secretary; and Pharm. Adewale Aderemi Oladigbolu, Immediate Past National Chairman.

In their final assessment of the conference, Obiora and Ghensel described the 45th Annual National Conference as a landmark event with the potential to leave a lasting imprint on the future of community pharmacy and healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

They said “Unity 2026” went beyond the traditional annual professional gathering by providing pharmacists with a platform to redefine their role in primary healthcare, medicine security, public health and the achievement of universal health coverage.

The Plateau State representatives expressed confidence that the resolutions and strategic outcomes of the Abuja conference would provide a strong foundation for the new ACPN leadership to deepen reforms, strengthen professional unity and expand the contribution of community pharmacists to Nigeria’s healthcare system.

They further commended Pharm. Ezeh Ambrose Igwekamma and his executive team for what they described as a strong beginning, expressing optimism that the momentum generated by “Unity 2026” would translate into sustained professional growth and measurable impact across the country.