To prepare the Nigerian Pharmacy workforce for a digital healthcare future, the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Jos (UNIJOS), in collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Plateau State Chapter, has organised the 2025 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) workshop to equip pharmacists with the necessary digital skills.
In his keynote address, Mr Precious Adeniyi, a U.S.-based Nigerian specialist in health informatics and bioinformatics, emphasized that policy will determine whether innovation becomes a tool for equity or a driver of inequality.
Adeniyi noted that technologies such as AI, genomics, and clinical decision support are already transforming care in high-income countries. However, without policies on data governance, interoperability, and equitable access, these same tools could leave Nigeria further behind.
He highlighted Nigeria’s physician density of just 0.40 per 1,000 (≈4 per 10,000), compared to a global average of 17.2, and a broadband penetration of only 48.8 percent as of May 2025. These systemic gaps, he argued, indicate that simply importing foreign models is insufficient; Nigeria requires context-specific policy frameworks to make digital health effective.
Crucially for pharmacists, Adeniyi emphasised the shift from drug–drug interactions to drug–gene interactions. As precision medicine advances, pharmacists will be expected to interpret genetic test results, integrate with AI-powered decision tools, and guide therapy choices at the point of care.
“Pharmacists cannot be passive,” he told the audience. “They must be trained and empowered to lead in this new era.”
In response, faculty leaders, including Prof. B. B. Bukar, dean, and Dr Lohdip V. Domjul, PSN Plateau chairman, pledged to explore pharmacogenomics modules in the curriculum and foster stronger research collaborations.
Adeniyi stressed that these academic initiatives should be supported by national policy: a Nigerian equivalent of HIPAA to safeguard data, investment in broadband and digital infrastructure, and a national strategy to integrate pharmacists into precision medicine and AI-driven care.
The message from Jos was clear: pharmacists must be positioned at the forefront of digital health policy, not the sidelines. With the right tools and frameworks, they can bridge the gap between science and patient care, ensuring that Nigeria is not left behind in the genomic age.
Looking ahead, Adeniyi highlighted the need for continuous professional development and interdisciplinary collaboration. By equipping pharmacists with cutting-edge knowledge and fostering partnerships with clinicians, researchers, and technology experts, Nigeria can cultivate a healthcare ecosystem that fully leverages the potential of genomics and AI. He concluded that this is not just a call to action for pharmacists, but for the entire health sector to embrace innovation and place patient-centred precision medicine at its core.
