It was a gathering meant for intellectual discourse and thought-provoking ideas, as the national leadership of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) and other major stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector assembled at the Mauve 21 event hall, Ring Road, Ibadan, for a brainstorming session at the recently held 2026 Oyo ACPN Summit.
The summit, themed “Beyond the Counter: Balancing Professional Ethics, Innovation and Sustainable Growth in a Changing Healthcare Economy,” held at the Mauve 21 event hall, Ibadan, Oyo State, also served as a platform for professional capacity building and knowledge exchange aimed at repositioning community pharmacists for greater relevance in primary healthcare delivery.
Speaking at the event, Pharm. Olayinka Rilwan Subair, a distinguished pharmacist and pharmaceutical industry leader who served as keynote speaker, urged practitioners to strengthen ethical discipline and adopt higher professional standards in response to increasing economic pressure and regulatory scrutiny.
He emphasised that community pharmacy practice must go beyond medicine dispensing to include patient counselling, medication therapy management, screening services, vaccination support, and continuous patient follow-up. He further stressed the importance of digital tools, structured documentation, and collaborative practice models to improve efficiency and ensure sustainability in community pharmacy operations.
Also speaking, the guest speaker, Pharm. Anthony Bola Oyawole, former Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Lagos State and one-time aspirant for PSN national presidency, warned against rising ethical lapses in pharmacy practice, including improper drug sourcing, weak documentation systems, and commercial pressure that compromises professional judgment.
Oyawole stressed that supply chain integrity, patient safety, and accountability must remain central to pharmacy practice, noting that pharmacists must resist practices that undermine public trust. He also advocated stronger use of technology, inventory management systems, and structured patient follow-up mechanisms as tools for improving service delivery and professional credibility.
The Chairman of the opening ceremony, who is also the immediate past National Chairman of ACPN, Pharm. Adewale Oladigbolu, in his remarks, highlighted the increasing regulatory pressure facing community pharmacists, noting that compliance expectations have become more stringent due to evolving inspection frameworks and enforcement standards.
He warned that failure to adhere strictly to regulatory requirements could expose practitioners to sanctions and reputational damage, urging pharmacists to ensure full compliance with standard operating procedures, proper documentation, and continuous professional development.
Speaking in the same vein, the National Chairman of ACPN, Pharm. Ambrose Ezeh, reaffirmed that ethics remains the foundation of pharmacy practice and stressed that pharmacists are entrusted with safeguarding public health through responsible dispensing and adherence to professional codes.
He expressed concern over the proliferation of unregulated drug outlets and unethical practices within the system, adding that the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria has intensified efforts to enforce compliance and sanitise pharmaceutical practice across the country. He called for stronger collaboration between regulators and practitioners to eliminate substandard practices and improve access to quality pharmaceutical services.
In his welcome address, the Oyo State Chairman of ACPN, Pharm. Adebayo Gbadamosi, said the association remains committed to promoting ethical practice, continuous professional development, and stronger collaboration among community pharmacists in the state.
He noted that the summit was designed to reposition pharmacists for greater relevance in Nigeria’s healthcare system while strengthening adherence to global best practices.
A major highlight of the week-long summit was a masterclass on extemporaneous compounding delivered by Dr Olufunke Akin-Ajani of the University of Ibadan, who provided practical insights into pharmaceutical compounding techniques, quality assurance, and the relevance of extemporaneous preparations in addressing specific patient needs.
The session, which also featured Dr Oladapo Adetunji of the Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, drew strong participation from pharmacists and was described as a key capacity-building component of the programme, reinforcing the technical and clinical competence required in modern community pharmacy practice.
Across the various sessions and presentations, participants called for stronger ethical discipline, improved adoption of technology, enhanced supply chain integrity, and continuous professional training to ensure pharmacists remain relevant in Nigeria’s changing healthcare environment.
