It is very African to warmly welcome you to this page. You may not know it, but this article represents a continuation of a conversation that began several years ago—one that has now matured into a regular engagement you will read every month in Pharmanews, West Africa’s biggest healthcare magazine (and, in my opinion, still the best).
This is 2026 of success
2025 is behind us, and attention has naturally shifted to 2026. For many pharmaceutical companies, there are still unresolved matters from 2025 that will spill into the new year: national conferences, “thank you” gifts and souvenirs, outstanding Q4 2025 trade and field force incentives, and the production of marketing and promotional materials for 2026, among others.
All of these are important. However, below is my proposed 2026 Dashboard of Success—a practical list of priorities that deserve focused attention.
Learn from 2025
Begin with a clear, honest understanding of what happened last year. What accounted for your successes or failures? What worked, and what did not? Data is critical here. Identify who and what delivered results. Which distributors, wholesalers, institutions, products/SKUs, representatives, managers, territories, regions, strategies, and investments accounted for, say, 80 per cent of your sales and collections? Without this clarity, direction in 2026 will be blurred. 2025 was tough, but luckily the business environment in Nigeria is becoming stable and much better than 2 years ago
Set targets and objectives
Targets drive action for most field forces. Ideally, this should have been concluded before the end of 2025. If it hasn’t, the next best time is now. Set and communicate clear targets by SKU, by month, and by quarter for every member of the field force. Importantly, do not ignore non-financial objectives such as coverage, call quality, and relationship development.
Time for collection
Cash is required for operations, payables, year-start expenses, and planned investments. January and Q1 are typically soft in terms of fresh sales, and outstanding debts only worsen the situation. Prioritise collections from 2025 sales using both conventional and unconventional approaches. Do not leave it unattended—actively manage it.
Manage your costs
Many employees, especially salespeople, operate as though companies have unlimited funds. Clear daily and periodic objectives must be set for all staff, with insistence on delivery. Develop KPIs and appraise performance regularly. Understand your cost structure, benchmark pricing, make suppliers compete, and negotiate commercial terms consistently. Cost discipline is not optional. Still, I must say companies should provide enough support and infrastructure to achieve their 2026 objectives.
Bore down on supervision
The era of blind trust is over. Declining work ethics—particularly among younger employees—make supervision non-negotiable. Demand reports and evidence: photographs, videos, names, phone numbers. Independently verify. Every assignment must have timelines, milestones, and deadlines. Walk the shop floor. Conduct random physical, voice, and video checks. Supervise the supervisors. It will be worth the effort.
Secure your assets
Your money, stock, and relationships are profit-generating assets and must be tracked rigorously. Confirm that stock is delivered to the right customers. It is alarming that some companies cannot account for up to 70 per cent of their stock or cash at any point in time—information known only to representatives. Why should a company supply ₦10 million, ₦5 million, or even ₦550,000 worth of stock to a customer it knows only through a piece of paper labelled “order”? Strengthen your ordering and debtor management processes. Implement KYC standards. Verify customer details for significant orders. Aim for at least 90% real-time assurance of where your money is. Do not wait for an exit to discover your funds have “travelled.”
Invest in training and capacity building
You want 200 per cent or 300 per cent growth—excellent. You’ve acquired vehicles, expanded facilities, and increased inventory. But you intend to deploy the same human capital without upgrading their skills? That deserves reconsideration. Of all growth drivers—capital, systems, processes, and people—human capital is the most critical. You cannot scale with an under-skilled field force. Training is not a luxury. Yes, people may leave after training—but what if they stay? Worse still, what if you do not train them and they stay? Evidence consistently shows people leave largely because of poor leadership or toxic environments.
Reward what is important
Most pharmaceutical companies desire sustainable brand growth, which requires consistent and deep demand-generation activities. Yet, what is often rewarded is short-term collection. This creates short-termism and discourages quality detailing. Trading has its place, but remember: people do what is rewarded. Balance sales, market development, and financial objectives within your reward system, and communicate expectations clearly—with numbers.
This list is not exhaustive, but it is sufficient for a strong start to 2026. In addition, deepen customer relationships, institutionalise SOPs, monitor the business environment, insist on continuous improvement, walk the talk, and keep your promises.
The 2026 WhiteTulip Training Calendar is now available. You may request a copy by sending #Send 2026 Calendar# to 08029606103 (WhatsApp) or via ekiniwhitetuliptraining@gmail.com.
