The Federal Government has pledged to strengthen the pharmacy profession and expand the roles of pharmacists in delivering quality, accessible and safe healthcare services to Nigerians.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, made this known on Friday in Abuja at a ministerial press briefing to commemorate the 2026 World Pharmacists Day, themed, “Empowering Pharmacists for Healthier Futures.”
Represented by the Director, Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary and Director, Human Resource Management, Mrs Tetshoma Dafeta, Pate described pharmacists as some of the most accessible frontline health professionals in the country.
He said pharmacists played critical roles in medicines supply, preventive care, chronic disease management, patient safety and the rational use of medicines.
According to him, pharmacists operate at the intersection of clinical care, scientific innovation and public health delivery, making the profession essential to building resilient and future-ready health systems.
Pate said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare was implementing reforms, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, to strengthen pharmacy practice in Nigeria.
He listed the reforms to include expanding pharmacists’ roles in primary and specialised healthcare, promoting regulated e-pharmacy and digital health platforms, supporting local pharmaceutical manufacturing and strengthening enforcement against substandard and falsified medical products.
The minister said the pharmacy sector had recorded progress in clinical integration, pharmacovigilance and pharmaceutical research, but stressed the need for sustained investment in workforce development, pharmacy education, clinical residency programmes, continuous professional development, workplace infrastructure, innovation and research.
He also called for stronger collaboration among pharmacists, physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals to improve patient outcomes.
Pate appreciated professional bodies, development partners, academia and private-sector stakeholders for their contributions to strengthening Nigeria’s pharmaceutical and health systems.
He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to creating an enabling environment where pharmacists would be adequately equipped, supported and recognised.
The minister said, “A healthier Nigeria is impossible without an empowered pharmacy workforce.”
In her welcome address, the Director of Food and Drug Services, Mrs Olufowubi-Yusuf Adeola, said pharmacists were critical to promoting the safe and effective use of medicines, counselling patients, improving medication adherence and preventing harmful drug interactions and medication-related errors.
She said pharmacists’ accessibility within communities also positioned them to support public health interventions, including health education, vaccination awareness, antimicrobial stewardship and chronic disease management.
Adeola stressed the need to equip pharmacists with appropriate competencies, tools and a supportive professional environment to respond to emerging health challenges, including antimicrobial resistance, unsafe medication practices and substandard and falsified medicines.
She also advocated the adoption of innovations such as telepharmacy and digital health technologies to improve access to pharmaceutical care.
The director called for sustained collaboration among the government, regulatory bodies, healthcare professionals, development partners, private-sector operators and the media to strengthen pharmaceutical services and improve health outcomes.
In separate goodwill messages, development partners and other stakeholders pledged continued support for strengthening the pharmacy profession and integrating pharmacists more effectively into Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by the Director, Greater FCT, Pharm. Chizoba Maduagwuna, described pharmacists as indispensable members of the healthcare team.
She said pharmacists had critical roles in promoting the rational use of medicines, providing professional counselling, supporting patients and improving health outcomes across the healthcare system.
According to her, access to medicines must be matched with assurances that the drugs are safe, effective, of good quality and properly used.
The Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority, Dr Kelechi Ohiri, represented by Yusuf Ibrahim, said pharmacists were indispensable to achieving Universal Health Coverage.
Ohiri said access to healthcare was incomplete without access to safe, affordable and effective medicines.
He said the NHIA would continue to collaborate with pharmacists, optimise medicines formularies, improve reimbursement processes and integrate pharmaceutical care into quality assurance frameworks.
Also, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain, Dr Abdul Mukhtar, represented by the Head of Ecosystem Enablement, Muhammed Balarabe, said pharmacists had a critical role to play in the industrialisation of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector.
Mukhtar said efforts to strengthen local pharmaceutical manufacturing could not succeed without the active participation of pharmacists.
He assured that the initiative would continue to collaborate with the profession and other stakeholders to build a stronger healthcare value chain.
Representatives of Médecins Sans Frontières, Pharm. Adeola Adeyemo; SMOKO Nigeria Limited, Dr Uchechukwu Lewis Nwokorie; and Results for Development, Pharm. Jeremiah Ilo, also commended pharmacists for their contributions to medicine safety, patient counselling, supply chain management and improved health outcomes.
Presenting a vote of thanks, the Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Pharm. Talatu Kassim, appreciated the ministry, development partners and other stakeholders for their support towards empowering pharmacists and strengthening the pharmacy profession.