From Felix Ikem, Nsukka
The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) is hosting the first cycle of the 2025 Foreign Pharmacy Graduates Orientation Programme (FPGOP), organized by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN).
Speaking in Nsukka on Monday during the flag-off of the orientation, Prof. Chukwuemeka Nworu, Dean, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, UNN said that FPGOP was designed by PCN exclusively for Nigerians who obtained their pharmacy certificate outside Nigeria.
He said that the reason for the orientation was to determine if the certificate obtained by these foreign pharmacy graduates met the standard of PCN to practice in Nigeria.
“Today 40 candidate who registered for the programme are taking their accreditation exam, those successful will go for oral interview after which those that scale through will be shortlisted to commence the six-week orientation.
“The candidates are expected to write the final exam at the end of the six-week programme and the successful ones would be recommended to PCN for the issuance of practising licence.
“During the six weeks, the candidates will be receiving lecturers from the faculty, and from time to time external examiners from the council will be coming in to check their performance,” he said.
The Dean who is the chairman of FPGOP said further the UNN is honoured to host the first cycle of the 2025 orientation programme, which according to him serves as a vital bridge between foreign pharmacy education and the standard of professional practice expected within Nigeria.
“The Facility is truly honoured to host this important programme which serves as a vital bridge between foreign pharmacy education and the standards of professional practice expected within Nigeria.
“On behalf of the the University’s Ag. Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oguejiofo Ujam, I warmly welcome our distinguished guests, facilitators, and most importantly, our foreign-trained pharmacy graduates.
“The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences stands fully prepared to support you throughout this six-week programme, as the FPGOP is a unique opportunity to refine their knowledge, strengthen their clinical skills, and fully align with the ethical and regulatory frameworks governing pharmacy practice in Nigeria,” he said.
Nworu commended the Registrar of PCN, Pharm. Ibrahim Ahmed and the council for finding the faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, UNN worthy to host the first cycle of the 2025 orientation.
In a remark, the PCN registrar who was represented by Pharm. (Mrs) Ifeyinwa Ohiaeri, South East Zonal Director of PCN, said that one of the mandates of the council is to screen abroad-trained pharmacy graduates to ascertain if they meet 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 satisfying those who meet 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 are sending their children to study abroad, adding that such inquiry will help them to know if the university is recognized or accredited by the host country, and explained that this can be achieved through an enquiry to 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 children abroad to study is recognized.
“This is to prevent your child from wasting years in such universities abroad that are not recognized by the host country and pharmacy certificate obtained from such institution will not be recognized by PCN,” he said.
Ahmed disclosed that the council considered the leadership capacity of the dean of the faculty before awarding the hosting right to the university.
“UNN’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science was given the first cycle of the 2025 orientation hosting right for the southern part of the country because the dean of the faculty is competent in handling the national assignment of PCN,” he said.