Pharmacist salary in Nigeria

It is not unusual for people interested in becoming pharmacist to be curious about how much pharmacists earn on a monthly basis. 

Pharmacy and other undergraduate degrees that enable people to work in the healthcare sector are popular in Nigeria. One of the reasons why this is so is because careers in healthcare are believed to offer Job security and a good salary.

Whether these expectations are in line with reality or not remains debatable. But if you want to get a good picture of how much you can earn as a pharmacist in Nigeria, then this article would give you the facts in detail.

How much are pharmacists paid in Nigeria monthly?

In order to clearly reveal how much pharmacists earn in Nigeria, I would detail the average entry level monthly salaries for pharmacists at different jobs in Nigeria.

S/NJob Average monthly entry level salary (₦)
1Pharmacist intern100,000
2Pharmacist at Federal hospital130,000
3Pharmacist at State hospital110,000
4Community pharmacist120,000
5Pharmacist at NGOs150,000
6Pharmacist at Pharmaceutical Company100,000

Highest paying jobs for pharmacists

In Nigeria, most of the highly paid pharmacists work at International Nongovernmental Organisations (NGOs) where they occupy senior roles. 

Pharmacy is a dynamic profession that can give you the opportunity to start your own business. Some professionals have gone into various related businesses such as starting their own retail pharmacy, importation of drugs and medical equipment as well as the manufacturing of drugs.

While it is true that pharmacists occupying senior roles at federal hospitals earn good salaries, they don’t make as much as those working at established international NGOs in most cases. 

Side hustles for pharmacists in Nigeria

If you are a pharmacist and you need an extra source of income, here are some side hustle ideas that might use your skills

1. Medical Writer

As a professional with knowledge of the healthcare sector especially drugs, you can use your unique skills to create articles for clients who publish content related to health.

You can find clients for your medical writing service on service marketplaces like Fiverr, Upwork and PeoplePerHour.

2. Start a blog about pharmacy

You can share your knowledge through a blog. There are many people who are curious about the side effects of many drugs and would like to read information from experts. Blogging can be a good way to reach them.

You can earn from this by selling ad space or offering your services as a pharmacist. People who need your services can contact you for work purposes.

3. Write product descriptions for online drug stores

This is an area that has not been widely explored. It is possible to write product descriptions for online drug stores. There are many ecommerce drug stores hosted on big platforms like Jumia, Amazon.

A pharmacist who understands drugs can write attractive product descriptions that would drive sales on these online drug stores. Store owners would be happy to pay for this service.

4. Start a Podcast

You can start a podcast where you talk about various prescriptions. Experts in other areas in the healthcare sector can also be interviewed.

Your podcast can help people who are using drugs to manage illnesses like hypertension, diabetes etc

What does a pharmacist do?

A pharmacist is a key player in the healthcare sector. They specialise in handling drugs . Pharmacists can create, store, and supply prescribed drugs to patients.

They are also trained to give patients advice about drugs. Patients often need to get further details about the side effects of the drugs they are about to take. Pharmacists are qualified to provide this information and advice on the usage of such drugs to patients.

Pharmacists can work in hospitals, drug stores, drug manufacturing companies,  general merchandise stores and research centres. These professionals can also go into business dealing in pharmaceutical products which can earn them higher income

Regulation and licensing

The pharmacy profession in Nigeria is regulated by the PCN (Pharmacy Council of Nigeria). The PCN was established in 2022 as a parastatal of the Nigerian federal government.

It saddled with the responsibility for licensing and registering pharmacists as well as pharmaceutical premises such as warehouses for storing drugs and manufacturing premises.

How to obtain your licence as a pharmacist in Nigeria

In order to become a registered pharmacist in Nigeria, you would need to take the following steps;

  • You will have to graduate as a pharmacist from a University approved by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria and ge inducted
  • Submit the necessary documents in order to be considered for provisional licensing. These documents include; A completed Form F Signed by your dean, your pharmacist oath duly signed by you and the dean, your statement of result, 2 passport photographs, your birth certificate and the fee prescribed by the PCN.

The provisional licence granted to fresh graduates can be used to complete a one year internship. After this internship, graduates can then apply for full registration as a pharmacist. To receive your licence as a fully registered pharmacist, you would need the following;

  • Form C
  • Form D
  • Form J
  • The fee prescribed by the PCN

You would also need to pass a Pre-registration Exam for Pharmacists (PEP)

Foreign pharmacy graduates would have to go through the Foreign Graduate Orientation programme (FGOP) before they can be registered as pharmacists

How many years does it take to study pharmacy in Nigeria?

Pharmacy is a 5-year degree programme in Nigeria for students admitted through UTME. For direct entry students, it takes 4 years.

How lucrative is owning a pharmacy?

To be frank, pharmacists in Nigeria don’t earn much working for companies. But there is a silver lining- you can run your own retail pharmacy or drug manufacturing firm if you have enough capital or investors to start.

Owning a retail pharmacy store is very lucrative especially if you are a professional pharmacist with some experience. You can make millions every month depending on your start-up capital. Retail pharmacies make an average of 35% profit margin.

This margin can be higher if there are strict regulations in the industry. This is because conventional medicine faces competition from traditional medicine.

In order to set up this business, you would have to obtain licensing and approval from the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN). 

Keys to success

There are some important factors that can make or break your pharmacy business. I would outline them below;

  • Choosing the right location.
  • Conducting adequate market research to determine the needs of potential customers.
  • Get high quality products to stock your store with.
  • Hiring qualified staff.

You are probably not going to become rich overnight from this business but with patient effort you can make good money and grow your business over time.

Conclusion

Pharmacists earn an average salary but sadly there isn’t a lot of room to earn higher by pursuing a corporate career especially as a community pharmacist. 

Starting your own pharmacy would most likely improve your income.

Frequently Asked Questions

Let us go over some questions people often have about what pharmacists earn.

Which country pays pharmacists the most?

The United States pays pharmacists quite well. Pharmacists can earn an average of $133,000 annually ($11,083 per month).

However, it is important to note that getting registered as a pharmacist in the U.S is tough and the industry is competitive. 

If you are interested in working abroad as a pharmacist, you should consider Australia. Pharmacists make about $75,000 ($ 6,250)  per year on average but there are great perks such as education, healthcare benefits and it is easier to get registered and start practising.

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