By Pharm. Ibrahim Mohammed Amidu, FPCPharm
Across Africa, access to essential medicines is expanding, but our capacity to monitor their safety has not kept pace. While 50 out of 54 African countries are enrolled in the WHO Programme for International Drug Monitoring, the continent continues to face fragile pharmacovigilance systems, under-reporting of adverse events, and weak regulatory frameworks. From self-medication and unregulated outlets to medication errors and adverse drug reactions (ADRs), the gaps are evident. Yet, one root cause remains dangerously neglected: the absence of structured pharmacovigilance education in undergraduate healthcare training.
In Nigeria—where substandard and falsified medicines remain a daily threat, and ADRs continue to cause preventable harm—pharmacovigilance can no longer remain an afterthought. Regulation is vital, but so is education. Unfortunately, across many training institutions, pharmacovigilance is still treated as an elective. This omission is not merely academic; it has tangible, real-world consequences.
On 14 May 2025, I had the honour of serving as guest speaker and panel moderator at the inaugural Pharmacovigilance Summit, organised by the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria Students (PANS). The summit convened a dynamic mix of emerging and established voices to examine Nigeria’s pharmacovigilance landscape, with discussions focusing on curriculum reform and digital innovation. A unanimous conclusion emerged: pharmacovigilance must be embedded into the core curriculum of all health-related disciplines—pharmacy, medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, public health, and beyond. This is a vision I am fully committed to advancing.
The problem we must address
Pharmacovigilance, defined as the science and activities related to the detection, assessment, understanding, and prevention of adverse effects or other drug-related problems, remains underutilised across Nigeria’s healthcare system. While pharmacists often bear the primary responsibility for drug safety, they are not alone in managing medicines. Doctors prescribe them. Nurses administer them. Public health officers coordinate large-scale distributions. Yet most health professionals receive minimal, if any, formal training in pharmacovigilance during their education.
This systemic gap leads to widespread under-reporting of ADRs, weak post-marketing surveillance, and a poor understanding of real-world medicine-related risks. More critically, it fosters a fragmented culture around patient safety.
From summit to systemic reform
At the summit, I was deeply inspired by the commitment of Nigeria’s future healthcare leaders to the cause of medicine safety. During our discussions, it became evident that although student interest in pharmacovigilance is high, formal instruction remains limited. The enthusiasm and insight displayed by participants reaffirmed the urgent need for structured, early training in pharmacovigilance.
Transforming Nigeria’s pharmacovigilance landscape must begin at the roots—with education. Embedding comprehensive pharmacovigilance training across all healthcare curricula is not just an academic upgrade; it is a public health imperative that will strengthen our health system for generations.
What must be done: A three-pillar strategy
To move from vision to impact, I propose a national framework based on three foundational pillars:
- Curriculum reform
Regulatory bodies and academic institutions must collaborate to develop standardised pharmacovigilance modules tailored to each healthcare discipline. These should incorporate practical simulations, real-world case studies, and hands-on adverse event reporting exercises.
- Student engagement
We must nurture a generation of professionals who are not only knowledgeable but also passionate about patient safety. My initiative, Students for SafeMeds, aims to mobilise student-led pharmacovigilance movements across Nigeria and Africa. Through peer-driven campaigns, digital platforms, and mentorship, we seek to build a grassroots culture of medicine safety.
- Policy advocacy
Stakeholders—including the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and all national health regulatory agencies—must prioritise pharmacovigilance within their policy frameworks. Making pharmacovigilance education a national standard is no longer optional; it is essential.
The broader impact: Strengthening healthcare delivery
Mainstreaming pharmacovigilance education goes beyond curriculum reform—it is central to enhancing healthcare outcomes in Nigeria. Well-trained professionals lead to safer prescribing, improved treatment outcomes, and a more responsive and resilient health system.
In an era where medicine safety is inextricably linked to national health security, investing in pharmacovigilance education is not a luxury; it is a strategic necessity.
Final word
Patient safety is a shared responsibility. When every healthcare professional is equipped to detect, report, and prevent medicine-related harm from the outset of their careers, safety becomes embedded in our system—not left to chance.
The call has been made. The consensus is clear. I am ready to lead this movement. I invite regulators, educators, policymakers, and students to join me.
Pharm. Ibrahim Mohammed Amidu is a global pharmacovigilance expert and Fellow of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (FPCPharm). He holds over 20 international certifications, including training from the World Health Organisation and the Uppsala Monitoring Centre. He has contributed significantly to Nigeria’s pharmacovigilance landscape through the development of national GVP guidelines, academic mentorship, and regulatory collaborations. A former PANS President and current member of the ISoP Student Group Coordinating Committee, he champions medicine safety innovation across clinical, regulatory, and academic platforms.
