MONTREAL — The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria took its community pharmacy reform to the world stage at the 84th FIP World Congress, unveiling the Community Pharmacists Assessment and Career Progression Institute, CPACPI. Presented by National Chairman, Pharm. Ambrose Igwekamma Ezeh from August 30 to September 2, 2026, the framework shows how Nigeria is moving community pharmacy beyond dispensing into a structured, clinically-driven part of primary healthcare.
CPACPI was launched in 2025 to close a long-standing gap: no clear career ladder for community pharmacists. The model creates five professional bands — from Community Pharmacist to Consultant — with advancement tied to competencies in clinical care, mentorship, digital health and quality improvement. Research involving 182 pharmacists found workload, cost of training and weak regulation as major barriers, alongside illegal medicine outlets. To address this, ACPN plans subsidized grants for younger pharmacists, self-paced digital learning, and stronger multi-agency action against unaccredited vendors.
The association is also calling for government to designate qualified community pharmacies as official primary healthcare providers under the national health system. Ezeh said CPACPI aims to build a sustainable workforce for universal health coverage, and that community pharmacies remain the most accessible care points for millions of Nigerians. He added that the success of the framework will depend on policy support, funding, and better enforcement. With its debut in Nigeria in 2025 and global debut in Montreal in 2026, CPACPI is being positioned as a model other low- and middle-income countries can adapt.
