ACPN Lagos begins ₦800m project to end reliance on dues

By Chioma Obinna

The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, Lagos State Branch, has begun construction of an ultra-modern commercial hub and permanent secretariat estimated at about ₦800 million, with the facility expected to generate sustainable revenue and reduce the association’s dependence on members’ dues.
The project, located at 3 Ogunbanwo Street, Ketu-Alapere, Lagos, is being developed under the theme, “Building for Enduring Legacy,” and is expected to be completed within three years.
Chairman of ACPN Lagos, Pharm. Tolu Ajayi, disclosed that about ₦150 million had already been spent on acquisition of the property, documentation and related processes, while construction was estimated at about ₦650 million.
He said the total investment could approach ₦1 billion as construction progressed and variations arose.
Ajayi said the facility was conceived not simply as an administrative secretariat but as a commercial asset capable of generating income to fund the association’s programmes and activities.
He said: “The idea is to have a facility that will continuously generate income for the association. This will help us reduce our dependence on members’ dues and provide additional resources for our programmes and activities.”
According to him, the project was the result of contributions by successive administrations of ACPN Lagos, with the property acquired during the first year of his administration and government approvals secured in the second year.
He said construction commenced in the third year and was expected to be completed within three years, although the next administration could inherit the project.
“Governance is a continuum,” Ajayi said, stressing that successive administrations must remain committed to completing and preserving the project as an institutional legacy.
National Chairman of ACPN, Pharm. Ambrose Ezeh, described the groundbreaking as more than the commencement of a building project, saying it represented an investment in the future of community pharmacy in Lagos.
Ezeh said the permanent secretariat would provide ACPN Lagos with an enduring identity and institutional home, while preserving the association’s unity and institutional memory.
He urged the branch to develop the facility into a centre for professional development, member engagement, innovation, advocacy and service.
The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, Pharm. Tanko Ayuba, congratulated the branch and commended its leadership for embarking on the project.
Ayuba noted that several PSN and ACPN branches were developing their own facilities, describing the trend as a positive step towards strengthening professional associations.
The Chairman of PSN Lagos State Branch, Pharm. Olaitan Ogunlade, pledged the society’s support, recalling its involvement in the ACPN Lagos journey, including the acquisition of the property.
Giving details of the project, Chairman of the Building Committee, Pharm. Isaac Olufuminiyi, said the facility would comprise a ground floor and three additional floors.
He said the ground floor would provide parking and accommodate drainage and water treatment facilities, while the building would have an elevator and two staircases for emergency access.
According to him, the first floor will be multipurpose; the second will contain offices, while the third floor will house a boardroom, seminar room and additional offices.
Olufuminiyi called for support from professionals with relevant building and technical expertise to ensure successful completion of the project.

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