ACPN Seeks NHIA Inclusion for Community Pharmacists, Says Move Will Expand Affordable Healthcare Nationwide
By Naomi Onome
The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to integrate registered community pharmacists into the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), saying the reform would significantly improve access to affordable healthcare, ensure the availability of quality medicines and accelerate Nigeria’s journey toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The appeal was made during a press briefing in Abuja to unveil activities for the ACPN’s 45th Annual International Scientific Conference, scheduled for July 27 to August 1, 2026, at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre. The conference is themed, “Unity 2026: From Local Pharmacy Practice to Global Impact – Managing Complex Political Systems.”
Speaking at the briefing, ACPN National Chairman, Pharm. Ambrose Igwekamma Ezeh, described community pharmacists as the backbone of primary healthcare delivery, noting that nearly 80 per cent of Nigerians first seek medical advice and treatment from neighbourhood pharmacies before visiting hospitals.
He said the continued exclusion of registered community pharmacies from the NHIA limits the effectiveness of the national health insurance programme despite their widespread presence across the country.
According to Ezeh, incorporating community pharmacists into the scheme would bring healthcare services closer to millions of Nigerians, reduce travel time and out-of-pocket medical expenses, improve access to safe and quality medicines, and ease the burden on overcrowded hospitals.
“Most Nigerians live closer to a community pharmacy than to a major hospital. Integrating community pharmacists into the NHIA means healthcare becomes available where people live, reducing travel time, lowering healthcare costs and improving timely access to quality medicines,” he said.
The ACPN chairman stressed that while the association supports stronger collaboration with the NHIA, implementation must be backed by a transparent and equitable reimbursement framework that complies fully with the NHIA Act. Such a framework, he said, would ensure fairness among healthcare providers, protect private-sector investments and guarantee the long-term sustainability of the health insurance scheme.
He also advocated policy reforms that would encourage innovation, strengthen public-private partnerships and create a more enabling environment for community pharmacy practice.
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Ezeh noted that pharmacy practice has evolved beyond dispensing medicines to include medication therapy management, disease prevention, pharmaceutical care and broader public health interventions. He reaffirmed the association’s commitment to maintaining high professional standards through Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (MCPD), research, innovation and continuous capacity building.
The ACPN also warned Nigerians against purchasing medicines from unlicensed vendors, saying they remain major sources of counterfeit and substandard medicines. It urged members of the public to obtain drugs only from registered pharmacies supervised by licensed pharmacists, adding that integrating community pharmacies into the NHIA would further strengthen medicine quality assurance.
Describing community pharmacists as an underutilised national healthcare asset, Ezeh said government could rapidly expand quality primary healthcare by maximising the extensive network of licensed pharmacies already operating across Nigeria instead of investing huge resources in building new health facilities.
Beyond its policy advocacy, the association said this year’s conference would provide a platform for discussions on healthcare governance, medicine security, digital transformation, pharmaceutical innovation, leadership development and strategies for positioning Nigerian pharmacy practice among the world’s best.
Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, Pharm. Chidi Dozie, assured stakeholders that comprehensive arrangements had been concluded to deliver a world-class scientific conference. He said committees responsible for logistics, security, protocol, hospitality, exhibitions and scientific sessions had incorporated lessons from previous editions to ensure a seamless event.
According to him, participants should expect internationally benchmarked exhibitions, robust scientific sessions and high-level networking opportunities involving policymakers, healthcare administrators, regulators, pharmaceutical industry leaders and international experts.
Among dignitaries expected at the conference are President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas; Governor of Niger State, Farmer Mohammed Umaru Bago, who will chair the event; Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr. Nyesom Wike; Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako; and Minister of State for the FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure.
The keynote lecture will be delivered by Pharm. Adewale Oyenuga, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Evans Therapeutics Ltd., while the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, will serve as Chief Host.
As part of its commitment to preventive healthcare, the ACPN announced plans to conduct free medical screenings, hepatitis awareness campaigns, vaccination exercises and other community health interventions across the Federal Capital Territory during the conference.
The association expressed confidence that the conference would produce practical policy recommendations capable of strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system, expanding access to quality pharmaceutical services and positioning community pharmacists as critical partners in achieving universal health coverage.
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