Pharm. (Mrs) Bunmi Olugbeja (née Ogunlade) is the founder and CEO of Primeah Pharmacy, a retail pharmacy chain with branches in Lagos, Nigeria.
Born and raised in the Ajegunle-Apapa area of Lagos State, Olugbeja was deeply influenced by her entrepreneurial parents, Mr and Mrs Ogunlade, who served as her business mentors. Her journey into retail business began as far back as 1998, when she managed her family’s retail venture.
Olugbeja is a Pharmacy graduate from the University of Lagos, where she also completed her internship at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). She gained her first experience in community pharmacy during her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) placement at a leading retail pharmacy chain in Jos, Plateau State. Olugbeja later returned to her alma mater to earn an MBA.
With approximately 17 years of professional experience, Olugbeja is a seasoned pharmacist with a diverse career spanning hospital practice, roles as a detailing representative for local and multinational companies, and extensive experience in retail (community) pharmacy practice.
After completing her NYSC, Olugbeja joined Zolon, a subsidiary of Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, as a business development executive responsible for Plateau, Bauchi, and Gombe States. Her role, which began in 2008, was brief but impactful, owing to her tenacity and goal-oriented approach. She successfully launched and promoted products, particularly Ulsakit, which became the preferred treatment for peptic ulcer disease (PUD) among doctors.
However, due to escalating insecurity in the North, Olugbeja returned to Lagos, where she assumed the role of senior medical representative with AstraZeneca Nigeria. She applied the same dedication to her work, successfully introducing the company’s gastrointestinal products to new markets and achieving significant sales figures. Despite her success, Olugbeja chose to resign in 2014 to devote herself fully to running her pharmacy.
Primeah Pharmacy was born out of Olugbeja’s desire to elevate the standard of retail pharmacy practice in Ajegunle-Apapa, her local community. Her entrepreneurial journey was further bolstered by a World Bank Scholarship, which enabled her to complete the Certificate in Entrepreneurial Management programme at the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University (Lagos Business School). The insights gained from this programme have inspired her to expand her vision for social impact, taking Primeah Pharmacy to various parts of Lagos.
In addition to her pharmacy career, Olugbeja is a trained speaker and facilitator, having led clinical and business sessions for numerous local and multinational companies, including Chi Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, Pharmacy Plus, Johnson & Johnson, and Sanofi. She is also an accomplished author, with two books to her name, including 40 African Proverbs Every Entrepreneur Should Read.
Pharm. Bunmi, as she is fondly known, is happily married to her friend and travel companion, Ayodeji.
 Bunmi Olugbeja (née Ogunlade) is the founder and CEO of Primeah Pharmacy, a retail pharmacy chain with branches in Lagos){kind=link}