The National Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Pharm. Ambrose Ezeh Igwekamma, has declared that continuous capacity building is no longer optional but essential for the survival, relevance, and sustainability of community pharmacy practice in Nigeria.

Pharm. Ezeh made this known on Thursday, January 29, 2026, while delivering his remarks at the ACPN Monthly Capacity Building Webinar themed “The New Tax Law and Its Implications for Community Pharmacy Practice,” where he emphasized the urgent need for pharmacists to adapt to policy changes, economic pressures, and evolving healthcare realities.

According to him, the commencement of the monthly seminar series represents a deliberate and strategic investment by ACPN in the future of its members.

“In a rapidly evolving healthcare environment shaped by economic pressures, digital transformation, regulatory changes, and shifting patient expectations, capacity building is no longer optional—it is essential for survival and relevance,” Ezeh stated.

He explained that the monthly capacity-building initiative affirms ACPN’s collective commitment to continuous professional development, innovation, and sustainability in community pharmacy practice across the country.

The ACPN chairman noted that community pharmacists remain the most accessible healthcare professionals to the Nigerian population, a responsibility that demands constant upgrading of skills, adoption of best practices, and repositioning of pharmacies as centres of excellence, public health impact, and economic viability.

“To sustain this critical role, we must continuously upgrade our skills, embrace best practices, and position our pharmacies as hubs for quality care, public health delivery, and sustainable business,” he said.

Pharm. Ezeh further disclosed that capacity building and empowerment were identified as cardinal priorities of his administration from inception, alongside member welfare, digital transformation, and improved documentation within the association.

“Learning is a continuous process, and as leaders and professionals, we must continue to learn. From the very beginning of this administration, we identified capacity building, member welfare, digital transformation, and documentation as critical pillars for strengthening community pharmacy practice,” he added.

He commended the ACPN Empowerment and Capacity Building Committee for responding to what he described as a “clarion call” to empower members with practical, timely, and policy-relevant knowledge, expressing confidence that the initiative would translate into improved practice standards across the sector.

“This monthly seminar series is designed to strengthen professional competence, sharpen business acumen, and empower pharmacists to respond confidently to emerging opportunities and challenges within Nigeria’s health system and beyond. With this commitment, we are going to achieve better practice this year,” Pharm. Ezeh said.

The webinar, which focused on the newly enacted tax laws and their implications for community pharmacy practice, forms part of ACPN’s broader strategy to equip pharmacists with the regulatory, economic, and professional knowledge required to thrive in an increasingly complex operating environment.