Pharmacy leaders, academics, and industry stakeholders from across Nigeria gathered in Kano for the 98th Annual National Conference of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), reaffirming their dedication to positioning pharmacy as a driving force for healthcare transformation.
The conference drew participants from academia, regulatory agencies, professional bodies, and the private sector. The event, themed “Pharmacy Forward: Building a Future-Ready Workforce for Performance, Collaboration and Health Transformation,” offered a platform for stakeholders to chart a new course for the profession in Nigeria.
According to Pharmanews, the President of the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy, Prof. Lere Baale, represented by Pharm. Ahmed I. Yakasai, praised the PSN leadership for sustaining a culture of excellence, advocacy, and innovation. He described the conference as a celebration of resilience, compassion, and professional value, urging stronger collaboration between the Academy and PSN to promote mentorship, industrial growth, and impactful research. “The shared mission of both bodies is to make pharmacy indispensable to national and global transformation,” he said.
Comrade (Dr) Kabiru Ado Minjibir, National President of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), highlighted long-standing welfare challenges affecting health professionals. He drew attention to the delayed implementation of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) adjustments, pending since 2014, and noted that less than 10 percent of federal health institutions have integrated the consultant pharmacist cadre. He also emphasised that the entry point for Pharm.D and B.Pharm holders remains unresolved.
Pharm. (Hajiya) Wosilat O. Giwa, Chairman of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), encouraged pharmacists to use the conference to reflect, unite, and renew their commitment to resilience, professionalism, and solidarity. She expressed confidence that discussions in Kano would inspire lasting change and strengthen the public image of the profession.
Highlighting the role of universities in shaping a future-ready workforce, the Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University Kano (BUK), Prof. Haruna Musa, stressed BUK’s pioneering role as the first Nigerian university to offer the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) programme. He noted that producing adaptable, digitally literate, and ethically grounded pharmacists is crucial for the nation’s healthcare transformation. Prof. Musa added that stronger partnerships between academia, industry, and government are essential to sustaining research, mentorship, and collaboration with PSN, PCN, and NAFDAC.
Providing an international perspective, Dr. Kunle Tometi, President of the Nigerian Association of Pharmacists and Pharmaceutical Scientists in the Americas (NAPPSA), commended Nigerian pharmacists for their resilience and global relevance. He noted that pharmacy practice is rapidly evolving from community and clinical services to digital and industrial innovation. Dr. Tometi pledged NAPPSA’s support for PSN through research partnerships and capacity-building initiatives to open new opportunities for Nigerian pharmacists worldwide.
Throughout the conference, delegates engaged in robust discussions, networking, and policy dialogues, highlighting the need for a united profession built on innovation, capacity development, and ethical practice. Participants agreed that pharmacy must continue to build a skilled, future-ready workforce capable of tackling emerging health challenges and strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system.
As the 98th Annual PSN Conference concluded, one message resonated clearly: unity, professionalism, and innovation remain the pillars upon which the future of pharmacy in Nigeria will stand.
