Prof. Emeje Emerges NAPA’s Man of the Year

pharmacy

The immediate past National Chairman of the Nigeria Association of Pharmacists in Academia (NAPA), Pharm. (Prof.) Martins Emeje, has been appointed NAPA Man of the Year.

Emeje, a pharmacist and distinguished professor of Drug Delivery/Nanomedicine in the Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Raw Materials Development (PT&RMD) of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRID), was conferred with the award at the 18th NAPA National Scientific Conference, held virtually from 24 to 26 August 2020.

While announcing Emeje’s selection for the prestigious award, the Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the erudite professor’s emergence was in consideration of his invaluable contribution to the Nigerian pharmaceutical industry.

Emeje was head, Ultra-Modern Biology/Chemistry Laboratory, Pharmaceutical Technology and Raw Materials Development, and NIPRID’s only spin-off company, NIPCO Pharmaceuticals Limited during which the Institute’s first indigenous herbal antisickling medicine was licensed to an indigenous pharmaceutical industry.

He also pioneered the establishment of the Institute’s Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO) as well as the Technology and Innovation Support Centre (TISC).

The NAPA Man of the Year award winner midwifed the discovery, development and launch of the first herbal cough syrup in Nigeria.

Emeje, who graduated with distinction from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1998, obtained his masters and doctoral degrees in Pharmaceutical Technology and Industrial Pharmacy, respectively, from University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

He had two separate post-doctoral trainings in Molecular Biology and Cell Biology as well as Nanoscience from Tezpur University and National Chemical Laboratory, both in India, from 2010 to 2012.

Emeje started his research career in 2001 as a Junior Research Fellow in the department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Raw Materials Development, and has been an adjunct lecturer with University of Uyo since 2009.

He is a member of many national and international organisations, such as the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC), American Chemical Society (ACS), American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), Society of Ethnobiology (SoE), West African Health Research Network (WANNPRESS), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), and NAPA.

The NAPA’s immediate past national chairman has over 150 publications, as well as numerous patents, trademarks and media mentions. He has taught and mentored many undergraduate and postgraduate students.

He has also supervised several masters and PhD students’ projects. He is equally a postgraduate supervisor of international students of De-Montfort University, Leicester, UK and a visiting professor to Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.