By Ijeoma Okoro

As Nigeria prepares to host the 44th Annual National Conference of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) in Awka, Anambra State, from July 22 to 27, the leadership of the association has issued a clarion call to the Federal Government to support indigenous pharmaceutical manufacturing, implement long-delayed health reforms, and put an end to what it describes as “systemic physician dominance” in the nation’s health governance.

In a pre-conference media briefing, National Chairman of the ACPN, Pharm. Ambrose Ezeh, MAW, DCPharm, and National Secretary Omokhafe Ashore, FPSN, praised the resilience of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry while warning that systemic challenges, including weak regulatory enforcement, professional suppression, and exclusionary health policies—threaten long-term gains.

Despite the high incidence of drug counterfeiting and poor sanction culture, the ACPN says Nigeria’s pharma sector is undergoing significant transformation. With over 150 registered manufacturers and five WHO-certified for Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), the sector is projecting a leap from its current $2 billion valuation to $10 billion within the next five years.

“Major investments are being made in Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) plants, diagnostic kit production, and antibiotic factories by players like Emzor, Fidson, Jawa Pharm, and Codix Healthcare,” said Ezeh. “This is a major step toward achieving medicines security, improving local capacity, and positioning Nigeria as a regional manufacturing hub.”

He stressed the need for targeted government incentives for pharmaceutical manufacturers, especially in accessing equipment and excipients, to fully harness opportunities in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

However, the ACPN warned that such industrial momentum could be undermined by flawed policies and poor implementation. Citing the controversial MEDIPOOL policy and the long-stalled National Drug Distribution Guidelines of 2015, the association urged the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) to adopt inclusive and consultative frameworks before rolling out major healthcare initiatives.

“Policy is not inherently good or bad, it’s about how it is implemented,” Ashore noted. “We urge the FMoH to engage more meaningfully with pharmacists and other health professionals before making decisions that affect the entire ecosystem.”

The association also called for urgent amendments to the Fake Drug Act, including harsher penalties for offenders and the full implementation of the National Drug Policy 2021.

The ACPN did not shy away from tackling what it described as the entrenched marginalization of pharmacists and other non-physician professionals in Nigeria’s healthcare system, accusing the government of enabling what it called a “monolithic medical aristocracy.”

Citing attempts by physicians to block the implementation of consultant status for pharmacists and interfere in regulatory reforms, Ezeh described recent actions by medical groups as “a deliberate sabotage of progress.”

“Physicians have monopolized leadership roles in Federal Health Institutions, undermined the autonomy of other professionals, and are now seeking to hijack university governance,” he stated. “This is not just unproductive, it’s unconstitutional.”

He pointed to the ongoing refusal of institutions like the Federal Ministry of Health and state governments, including Lagos, to implement long-standing circulars that confer consultant status on pharmacists, despite self-funded skill acquisition programs costing millions.

“The same physicians who receive government-sponsored training often migrate abroad shortly after, leaving the country at a loss, while pharmacists who self-fund are blocked from practicing what they’ve earned,” he added.

The ACPN also voiced its strong opposition to the proposed National Health Facility Regulatory Authority (NHFRA) bill before the Senate, which seeks to merge existing regulatory agencies, including the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), into a single entity.

“The Pharmacy Council has a long history, legal foundation, and global recognition, including WHO’s Maturity Level 3 certification. A merger would dilute its regulatory effectiveness and compromise public health,” Ashore warned.

The association outlined five key reasons for rejecting the merger: the PCN’s infrastructure and capacity, its international recognition, alignment with global best practices, the preservation of professional standards, and the prevention of regulatory inefficiencies.

The ACPN called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to directly intervene and initiate a national dialogue with non-physician health professionals, especially through Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), to address festering inequities.

“Over 80% of the health workforce in Nigeria are non-physicians. Continuing to exclude them from governance and policy formulation is a ticking time bomb,” said Ezeh. “When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.”

With the conference theme focused on strengthening community pharmacy practice for national health security, the ACPN says its gathering in Awka will not only review strategies for improved access to medicines but also mobilize stakeholders for sweeping health sector reform.

“We remain committed to moving forward. As scriptures remind us: ‘I, the Lord, bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall.’ There will be a reckoning,” Ezeh added.