The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately integrate registered community pharmacists into the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) scheme, describing the move as a transformative reform capable of expanding access to affordable healthcare, guaranteeing the availability of quality medicines, strengthening medicine safety, and fast-tracking Nigeria's attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

The association argued that the continued exclusion of community pharmacies from the NHIA framework undermines the effectiveness of the national health insurance programme, despite the fact that community pharmacists remain the first and most accessible point of healthcare for the overwhelming majority of Nigerians.

The call was made during a press briefing to unveil preparations for the ACPN's 45th Annual International Scientific Conference, scheduled to hold from July 27 to August 1, 2026, at the Abuja Ahmed Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre. The conference, themed "Unity 2026: From Local Pharmacy Practice to Global Impact – Managing Complex Political Systems," will bring together policymakers, healthcare administrators, legislators, regulators, pharmaceutical industry leaders and international experts to examine policy reforms and innovative strategies for strengthening Nigeria's healthcare system.

Addressing journalists, the National Chairman of ACPN, Pharm. Ambrose Igwekamma Ezeh, described community pharmacies as the backbone of primary healthcare delivery in Nigeria, revealing that nearly 80 percent of Nigerians seek healthcare first from neighbourhood pharmacies before presenting at hospitals.

He said the Federal Government could significantly expand healthcare access by leveraging the extensive nationwide network of licensed community pharmacies, thereby bringing healthcare services closer to millions of Nigerians while reducing pressure on overcrowded hospitals.

According to him, integrating community pharmacists into the NHIA would reduce patients' travel time and out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, improve access to safe and quality medicines, and strengthen the country's primary healthcare system.

"Most Nigerians live closer to a community pharmacy than to a major hospital. Integrating community pharmacists into the NHIA means healthcare becomes available right where people live, reducing travel time, lowering healthcare costs and improving timely access to quality medicines," he said.

Pharm. Ezeh explained that although the ACPN strongly supports expanded collaboration with the NHIA, the association insists that implementation must be anchored on a transparent and equitable reimbursement framework that fully complies with the provisions of the NHIA Act. Such a model, he noted, would ensure fairness among healthcare providers, safeguard private-sector investments, strengthen service delivery and guarantee the long-term sustainability of the national health insurance programme.

He further advocated strategic policy reforms that would stimulate innovation, deepen public-private partnerships and create a more enabling environment for community pharmacy practice to flourish.

According to the ACPN chairman, pharmacy practice has evolved far beyond the traditional role of dispensing medicines to a patient-centred profession focused on medication therapy management, disease prevention, pharmaceutical care and broader public health interventions. He added that the association remains committed to raising professional standards through Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (MCPD), research, innovation and continuous capacity building.

Pharm. Ezeh also warned Nigerians against patronising unlicensed medicine vendors, describing them as major contributors to the proliferation of counterfeit, substandard and falsified medicines across the country. He urged the public to obtain medicines only from registered pharmacies supervised by licensed pharmacists, stressing that integrating community pharmacies into the NHIA would further strengthen medicine quality assurance by directing healthcare financing through regulated pharmaceutical outlets.

He maintained that the proposed reform comes at a critical time when Nigeria's healthcare sector is grappling with the migration of healthcare professionals, shortages of skilled manpower and fragile medicine supply chains. Rather than committing huge public resources to building new health facilities, he argued that government could rapidly expand quality primary healthcare by maximizing the existing network of licensed community pharmacies spread across the country.

Describing community pharmacists as an underutilised national healthcare asset, he said their inclusion in the NHIA would deliver immediate improvements in healthcare access without the enormous capital investment required to establish new infrastructure.

Beyond the policy advocacy, the forthcoming international conference is expected to provide a high-level platform for discussions on healthcare governance, medicine security, digital transformation, pharmaceutical innovation, leadership development and strategies for positioning Nigerian pharmacy practice among the world's leading healthcare systems.

Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee (CPC), Pharm. Chidi Dozie, assured delegates and stakeholders that comprehensive arrangements had been concluded to deliver one of the most successful scientific conferences in the association's history. He disclosed that specialised committees overseeing logistics, security, protocol, hospitality, exhibitions and scientific sessions had incorporated lessons from previous conferences to ensure world-class standards throughout the event.

According to him, participants should expect internationally benchmarked exhibitions, robust scientific sessions and premium networking opportunities designed to strengthen collaboration among local and global healthcare stakeholders.

The conference has already attracted an impressive list of distinguished government officials and industry leaders. Expected at the event are the President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas; and the Governor of Niger State, Farmer Mohammed Umaru Bago, who will chair the conference.

Also expected are the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate; the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr. Nyesom Wike; the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako; and the Minister of State for the FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure.

The keynote address will be delivered by Pharm. Adewale Oyenuga, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Evans Therapeutics Ltd., while the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, will serve as Chief Host.

In line with its commitment to preventive healthcare and community service, the ACPN also announced plans to conduct extensive health outreach programmes across the Federal Capital Territory during the conference. Residents will benefit from free medical screenings, hepatitis awareness campaigns, vaccination exercises and other preventive healthcare interventions.

The briefing was attended by members of the ACPN National Executive Council, the Conference Planning Committee and other senior officials, including the National Secretary, Pharm. (Mrs.) Ashore Omokhafe; National Financial Secretary, Pharm. Obiageri Ikwu; CPC Vice Chairman, Pharm. Isaac Olufunminiyi; CPC Secretary, Pharm. Nwamaka Ezedinma; and immediate past CPC Chairman, Pharm. Lawrence Ekhator.

The association expressed confidence that the conference would generate practical policy recommendations capable of reshaping Nigeria's healthcare landscape, strengthening pharmaceutical practice, expanding access to quality healthcare services and firmly positioning community pharmacists as indispensable partners in the country's drive towards universal health coverage.