The Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (NAPHARM) has unveiled the full schedule for its 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM), Valedictory Session, and Investiture of New Fellows. The event will be held at the Old Great Hall, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, from Wednesday, October 15, to Thursday, October 16, 2025.
During a press briefing in Lagos, the Academy’s Vice President 2, Pharm. Ahmed I. Yakasai, mni, FPSN, FNAPharm, FPCPharm (Kachallan Kano), described the forthcoming gathering as a celebration of excellence, heritage, and transformation within Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector, rather than just another item on the Academy’s annual calendar.
According to Yakasai, the two-day programme will begin on Wednesday, October 15, at 11 a.m. with the Annual General Meeting, where members will evaluate the Academy’s achievements, progress, and long-term strategies in line with its 2025–2035 vision.
The session will be followed by a Valedictory event in honour of the late Pharm. Chief Oludolapo Ibukun Akinkugbe, CFR — a trailblazer and one of the founding fathers of modern pharmacy in Nigeria — whose pioneering leadership continues to influence the profession.
The grand highlight will take place on Thursday, October 16, with the Investiture of 14 new Fellows, the presentation of 4 Lifetime Achievement Awards, and the conferment of 6 Honorary Fellowships. The day’s programme will also feature a Public Lecture at 1 p.m., during which Mr. Wale Oyedeji, Group Managing Director of FBN Holdings PLC, will deliver the keynote address on the theme: “Pharmaceutical Innovation: A Catalyst for National Development.”
To ensure global participation, the entire event will be broadcast live via PharmaStreamTV on YouTube and Zoom.
Yakasai noted that between 2024 and 2025, the Academy had intensified its advocacy for pharmacists’ welfare and recognition, strengthened its policy engagement, and broadened public awareness through digital and media-driven initiatives.
He added that NAPHARM had launched a dynamic website, pursued affiliation with the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), and honoured the enduring legacy of icons like the late Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, the Academy’s pioneer Vice President.
Yakasai also revealed that the Academy has developed a comprehensive Blueprint for 2025–2035 and is laying the groundwork for a Research and Innovation Centre designed to promote indigenous pharmaceutical research and enhance institutional capacity.
Through collaborative efforts with key partners — including the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP), as well as relevant government and international bodies — NAPHARM continues to champion professional excellence and unity across the pharmaceutical ecosystem.
“As Nigeria strives toward self-reliance in healthcare and a knowledge-driven economy, pharmaceutical innovation is not optional—it is essential to national development,” Yakasai emphasized.
He urged pharmacists nationwide to remain dedicated to advancing education, research, and ethical standards while encouraging the media and the public to celebrate the profession’s achievements and its outstanding contributors.
