The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharm. Alh. Tanko Ayuba, has reaffirmed the Society’s commitment to defending the integrity of pharmacy practice and pursuing urgent reforms in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical workforce.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 98th Annual National Conference of the PSN, tagged PSN-DABO 2025, held at Bayero University, Kano, Ayuba said the profession must continue to uphold ethical standards while adapting to global changes in practice and education. The conference, with the theme “Pharmacy Forward: Building a Future-Ready Workforce for Performance, Collaboration and Transformation,” drew pharmacists, policymakers, and industry stakeholders from across the country.
The PSN President decried the continued attempt to introduce the so-called “Pharmacy Technologist” cadre into the nation’s health system, describing it as an aberration and a threat to professional order. He disclosed that a revised Memorandum of Understanding between the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) was signed in August 2025 to reaffirm the discontinuation of such training in polytechnics, while maintaining the globally recognised Pharmacy Technician cadre.
Ayuba also announced a major legal victory in October 2025, when the Federal High Court in Calabar upheld the authority of the PCN to regulate all aspects of veterinary drug distribution and use in Nigeria. He commended past PSN leaders for their resilience in defending the profession and sustaining its regulatory integrity.
Highlighting progress in the area of welfare, Ayuba noted that pharmacists under the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) have begun receiving 25 to 35 per cent arrears, following successful negotiations with the Federal Government through the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA). He further confirmed the approval of new IPPIS payment elements for holders of the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) degree and Consultant Pharmacists, as well as an upward review of call-duty allowance to 4 per cent of basic salary.
He added that the retirement age for pharmacists has been extended to 65 years, while Consultant Pharmacists will now retire at 70, achieving parity with medical consultants.
Pharm. Ayuba urged universities to fully implement the Pharm.D programme as the minimum entry qualification for practice, and pledged the PSN’s continued pursuit of a National Postgraduate College of Pharmacy to complement regional training frameworks. He called on pharmacists to remain united, forward-looking, and professionally accountable as the Society works to build a resilient, future-ready pharmaceutical workforce for Nigeria.
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