UNN Hosts PCN Recertification Programme For Foreign Pharmacy Graduates

The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) says it has started the first cycle of the 2025 Foreign Pharmacy Graduates Orientation Programme (FPGOP) organised by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme is to determine if the certificates obtained by the graduates meets Nigera’s standards.

Speaking in Nsukka on Monday during the orientation flag-off, Prof. Chukwuemeka Nworu, Dean of the faculty, said that the programme was designed by PCN exclusively for Nigerians who obtained their pharmacy certificates outside Nigeria.

“Today, 40 of such graduates are taking their accreditation examinations, those successful will go for oral eligibility interview after which those that scale-through would be shortlisted to commence the six week orientation programme.

“The candidates are expected to write the final examination at the end of the six weeks programme and the successful ones would be recommended to PCN for the issuance of practicing licence in Nigeria.

“During this six weeks, they will be receiving lectures from the faculty, and from time to time, external examiners from the council will come to check their performances,” he said.

The Dean, who is the chairman of FPGOP, said that UNN was honoured to host the first cycle of the 2025 orientation programme for the South while Gombe State University would those in the northern part of the country.

“Our faculty will host this important programme which serves as a vital bridge between foreign pharmacy education and the standard of professional practice expected within Nigeria.

“On behalf of the the University Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oguejiofo Ujam, I warmly welcome our distinguished guests, dean facilitators, and most importantly, our foreign-trained pharmacy graduates.

“The Faculty stands fully prepared to support you throughout this six-week programme, as the programme is a unique opportunity to refine your knowledge, strengthen your clinical skills, and fully align with the ethical and regulatory frameworks governing pharmacy practice in Nigeria,” he said.

Nworu commended the Registrar of PCN, Ibrahim Ahmed and the council for finding the faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, UNN, worthy to host the first cycle of the 2025 orientation.

Ahmed, who was represented by Mrs Ifeyinwa Ohiaeri, South East Zonal Director of PCN, said that one of the mandates of the council was to screen abroad trained pharmacy graduates to ascertain if they met the PCN standard to practice in Nigeria.

“The aim of this six-week orientation is to screen the abroad pharmacy graduates with the view of giving licence to those who met the PCN required standard, to practice in Nigeria,” she said.

The registrar, however, advised parents to always find out the status of the universities they sent their children to study abroad.

He explained that such inquiry would help them to know if such university was recognized and accredited by the host country; parents can do this finding through the Federal Ministry of Education in Nigeria.

“Always find out from the Federal Ministry of Education in Nigeria if the school you are sending your child to abroad is recognized and accredited by the host country.

“This is to avoid your child from wasting years in such university abroad that are not recognized or accredited by the host country and will also not be recognized by Nigeria,” he said.

Ahmed disclosed that the council always considered the leadership capacity of dean of the faculty Pharmaceutical Sciences before awarding the hosting right for the orientation.

“UNN’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences was given the hosting right for the southern part of the country because the dean (Nworu) is competent and capable to handle this national assignment of PCN,” he said. (LNAN)