ACPN raises alarm over pharmacist exodus, says 9,000 left Nigeria in four years

The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has raised alarm over the growing exodus of pharmacists from Nigeria, saying approximately 9,000 pharmacists left the country between 2021 and 2025 and still counting. The association warned that the continued migration of skilled pharmacy professionals, alongside weak regulatory systems, medicine insecurity and rising drug and substance abuse, was placing increasing pressure on Nigeria’s healthcare system and pharmaceutical sector. The ACPN made the disclosure at its 45th Annual National Scientific Conference themed “UNITY 2026: From Local Pharmacy Practice to Global Impact , Managing Complex Healthcare Systems.”The migration of pharmacy professionals emerged as one of the major concerns at the conference Speaking at the conference, Ezeh Igwekamma, ACPN National Chairman,l attributed the trend to poor reward systems, delayed enforcement of drug distribution guidelines and disorganised medicine procurement networks. He said the exodus had continued into 2026, with more than 850 pharmacists obtaining letters of good standing from the PCN within the first six months of the year in preparation to relocate to countries including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States. According to him, the continued departure of skilled professionals was creating a serious manpower shortage, with implications for patient safety, healthcare delivery and the sustainability of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector. To reverse the trend and strengthen the pharmaceutical industry, the ACPN called on the Federal Government to support executive and private-member bills targeting some of the sector’s longstanding challenges. The association proposed amendments to the Fake Drug Act to introduce tougher penalties, including 20 years’ imprisonment for first-time offenders and life imprisonment with total asset forfeiture for repeat offenders. The association further called for the creation of a National Postgraduate College of Pharmacy to train specialist pharmacists locally, reduce dependence on foreign training and conserve foreign exchange. Igwekamma also recommended the establishment of a Presidential Committee on the Pharmaceutical Sector to drive the proposed legislative agenda and address longstanding bottlenecks affecting the industry. The ACPN chairman also raised concern over Nigeria’s drug abuse crisis, citing United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) data which he said indicated that more than 21.2 million Nigerians abuse various substances. He identified unemployment, poverty, dysfunctional family structures, peer pressure, inadequate public awareness, weak enforcement of drug laws, porous borders, corruption, poor prescription control and social media influence as major drivers of substance abuse. The association consequently called for tougher penalties against illicit drug dispensers, increased taxation of tobacco and alcohol, modern rehabilitation centres and improved capacity for agencies including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), PCN and the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). Read also: Banks ease overseas spending limits as FX crunch fades Ayuba Ibrahim, president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria stressed the importance of professional unity and policy alignment, noting that community pharmacists remained among the most accessible healthcare professionals and often served as the first point of contact for millions of Nigerians seeking medical assistance. Uche Apakama,Chairman of the Board of Fellows of the PSN, urged senior pharmacists to mentor younger professionals, champion health equity and become more actively involved in policy formulation at federal, state and local government levels. Kelechi Ohiri, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Agency advocated greater use of Nigeria’s extensive community pharmacy network to expand healthcare coverage and facilitate more effective decentralised health financing.