The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has reaffirmed the profession’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery through improved capacity development.

Speaking at the Stakeholders Engagement Meeting in Abuja, the National Chairman of the association, Ambrose Ezeh, emphasised that community pharmacists remain the most accessible healthcare professionals, noting that nearly 60 per cent of patients seek help from pharmacists before visiting hospitals.

He explained that when pharmacists operate within a structured professional system supported by continuous learning and evaluation, the quality of healthcare delivery improves significantly.

Reflecting on the role of pharmacists during the global health crisis of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Ezeh stated that community pharmacists played a critical role in providing frontline support and ensuring access to medicines.

He highlighted the importance of the world’s first Community Pharmacist Assessment and Career Progression Institute (CPACPI) initiative, which has continued to attract growing support for its pioneering framework designed to drive structured career progression in Nigeria and across the global healthcare sector.

Ezeh explained that the CPACPI initiative is designed to evaluate, support, and elevate community pharmacy practice, while rewarding competence, strengthening professional confidence, and improving job satisfaction across the sector.

Also speaking on ‘A Competency-Driven Community Pharmacist Workforce’, Chairman of the CPACPI Board, Dr IyeseunAsieba, emphasised the urgent need to mobilise Nigeria’s health sector potential in the face of the growing professional migration trend. She warned that the shortage of skilled healthcare personnel continues to affect the performance of the health system.

According to her, transforming community pharmacies into clinical health hubs through targeted investments in training, infrastructure, and professional development would enable Nigeria not only to strengthen its healthcare delivery system but also to exceed global standards in pharmacy practice.

She explained that CPACPI is not simply a training institution but a comprehensive professional development platform that introduces standardised evaluation procedures across three major pillars: capacity building, quality improvement, and career band progression.

Asieba emphasised that the long-term success of the CPACPI framework will depend on sustained collaboration between government institutions, regulatory bodies, development partners, and the wider pharmaceutical community.

The CPACPI leadership called on the Federal Ministry of Health and relevant stakeholders to provide the legislative, financial, and institutional support necessary to sustain the initiative.

By institutionalising this structured professional pathway, Nigeria is not only reforming the community pharmacy profession but also laying the foundation for a future in which every community pharmacy evolves into a centre of clinical excellence, strengthening national health security and advancing the global transformation of pharmacy practice.

Reinforcing her position, Dr Ibironke Dada, who led the quality assurance and Improvement segment, outlined minimum standards for practice aimed at protecting patients and ensuring consistent professional excellence across community pharmacy settings.

Providing further academic depth, Prof. Emeka Ubaka presented a detailed career progression roadmap for community pharmacists, an initiative widely described by stakeholders as the first of its kind globally.

Ubaka explained that the CPACPI model removes historical disparities that once placed community pharmacy practice at a disadvantage compared to other professional sectors.

Under the new structure, the professional status and career trajectory of community pharmacists will align with the highest levels of the pharmaceutical profession.

He outlined four major professional bands within the framework, such as community pharmacist, senior community pharmacist, senior community pharmacist specialist, and consultant pharmacist. Ubaka stressed that advancement across these levels will require deliberate career development, objective assessment, and measurable professional competence.

He also encouraged pharmacists across the country to serve as regional champions to ensure the sustainability and nationwide implementation of the initiative.

Also, Dr Peter Agada highlighted the critical roles community pharmacists can play in expanding access to prevention of diseases, and providing treatment and care and support for patients within the primary health care system and public health space, significantly contributing to improving health outcomes in Nigeria.

A major highlight of the meeting was the announcement that the CPACPI framework was endorsed by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) during its 83rd World Congress in Copenhagen. The endorsement marks a defining moment for community pharmacy practice globally, reinforcing CPACPI’s position as a groundbreaking model for professional development, quality assurance, and healthcare transformation.

Known as “Pharmacy Forward: Performance, Collaboration and Health Transformation,” the initiative presents a structured professional pathway designed to transition community pharmacies from traditional medicine outlets into sophisticated clinical health hubs operating within the primary healthcare system.

In recognition of private sector leadership supporting the framework, the institute also honoured several champions and captains of industry who are helping to drive innovation and professional excellence within community pharmacy practice.