The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has called for a sweeping overhaul of pharmacy practice in the country, warning that mass migration of pharmacists, weak regulatory systems, medicine insecurity and rising substance abuse are threatening public health and national development.
The call was made at the association’s 45th Annual National Scientific Conference held from July 27 to August 1, 2026, at the International Conference Centre in Abuja. The conference, themed “UNITY 2026: From Local Pharmacy Practice to Global Impact – Managing Complex Healthcare Systems,” brought together senior government officials, regulators, legislators and industry stakeholders to discuss the future of pharmacy and healthcare delivery.
*Brain drain hits critical level*
ACPN National Chairman, Pharm. Ezeh Ambrose Igwekamma, said approximately 9,000 pharmacists had emigrated from Nigeria in the four-and-a-half years leading to December 2025. He added that the trend continued into 2026, with more than 850 pharmacists obtaining letters of good standing from the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) in the first six months of the year to relocate to Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States.
Igwekamma attributed the exodus to poor reward systems, delayed enforcement of drug distribution guidelines and disorganised medicine procurement networks. He warned the departures were creating serious manpower shortages with direct implications for patient safety and the sustainability of the pharmaceutical sector.
*Drug abuse and regulation concerns*
The chairman also raised alarm over substance abuse, citing United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) data indicating that more than 21.2 million Nigerians abuse various substances. He listed unemployment, poverty, porous borders, weak enforcement of drug laws and social media influence as key drivers.
To address the challenges, ACPN proposed amendments to the Fake Drug Act to impose 20 years’ imprisonment for first-time offenders and life imprisonment with total asset forfeiture for repeat offenders. Other recommendations include the establishment of a Drug Management Agency to institutionalise the Drug Revolving Fund, a National Postgraduate College of Pharmacy for local specialist training, and a Presidential Committee on the Pharmaceutical Sector to drive legislative reform.
*Push for integration into health system*
Delivering the keynote, Pharm. Wale Oyenuga urged stakeholders to move pharmacy beyond product dispensing and reposition it as comprehensive healthcare. He proposed a five-pillar agenda focused on a unified national vision, quality frameworks, digital data practices, formal integration of community pharmacists into primary healthcare, and greater participation in health financing under the National Health Insurance Authority Act.
Speakers echoed the need for integration. Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, commended ACPN’s contribution to quality medicine and urged stronger collaboration with state governments on medicine security. President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, said community pharmacists remain the most accessible healthcare professionals for millions of Nigerians.
Representing Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, Commissioner for Health Dr Murtala Muhammad Bagana described community pharmacies as resilient frontline centres that should be fully integrated into Nigeria’s primary healthcare system.
PCN Registrar, Pharm. Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, said the council was strengthening regulation, including online pharmacy oversight, and had facilitated training on CPR, ethics and substance abuse prevention during the conference.
Representing NAFDAC Director-General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Dr Ramatu Momodu said global supply chains, digital marketplaces, antimicrobial resistance and sophisticated counterfeit networks were reshaping regulation. She urged pharmacists to use tools such as the NAFDAC Greenbook, Med Safety App and Scan2Verify, and called for every community pharmacy to function as a surveillance post.
Officials from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and the National Health Insurance Authority also backed stronger integration of community pharmacists into universal health coverage and health insurance reimbursement models.
