What is a Pharmacist salary? With the economic situation currently happening in Nigeria, it is no doubt that Nigeria is still at it’s developing phase, more and more people are drifting towards the lines of professional fields, eg Pharmacist.
Recommended: Pharmacy Waec, JAMB Subject Combinations and Admission requirements.
However in Nigeria, fields like Pharmacists do not guarantee a stable and automatic job placement after graduating from the school. But the truth is that Pharmacists graduates still have upper hand than some other professions in the country.
It is no longer news that professionals in certain fields, especially in most developing economies are usually among the top earners in professional careers. These fields does not ONLY open these professionals to various possibilities, but usually tend to make them indispensable, making the Government or private sectors they work for cough out more cashes and allowances for them; one of these professions is the Pharmacy profession.
Generally, Pharmacy is one of the few professions with high possibility that you may get a job after graduating. Although it’s inarguable that the place of pharmacists in our community cannot be overemphasized, but Pharmacists most times do have higher incomes than many other professions.
Pharmacy focus more on drug prescription. The Pharmacy field is dedicated to discovering and prescribing medical remedies to sicknesses and diseases. However, when it comes to respecting professionals, Pharmacists are among the most respected professionsals in the world and it is easy to see why lots and lots more people develop interest in the profession in recent times.
Today, the question that is begging for answer is this; How much do pharmacists earn?
While there have been a lot of debates surrounding the salaries of Pharmacists in Nigeria, we will be puting more detailed information on how much a pharmacist in Nigeria is expected to earn.
Pharmacists’ Salary: How Much Do Pharmacists Earn in Nigeria?
It is no longer news that Pharmacists are among the most respected professionals in Nigeria. While their place in the medical world remains untouchable and absolutely vital to Human survival, their salaries in some parts of the world, including Nigeria, is regarded as small peanut when compared to other professions. Although Pharmacists do work with Medical Doctors and other medical professionals, (they can also work alone), there is a big difference in salaries of medical doctors and Pharmacists.
The salaries of Pharmacists is different according to levels. For example, the salary of an entry level pharmacist is lower compared to that of a chief pharmacist. We will classify the average and expected salaries of pharmacists in Nigeria according to their level of experience.
Take note that this means that entry level pharmacist will have between 0- 2 years relevant experience, while Mid-level pharmacists is expected to have between 2- 5/6years experience and experienced pharmacist with over 6 years experience.
It should also be noted here that there is a huge difference between how much Federal/State Government pay pharmacists and how much private institutions pays these professionals too. Generally, the salary structure for Pharmacists is based on two main standards which is listed below:
- Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) which is for hospitals,
- Consolidated University Academic structure (CONAUSS) for Pharmacists in the academic sector.
An entry level Pharmacist earn between N100, 000 – N170, 000 in Nigeria.
But the starting salary for Government staff is between N165, 000 – N300, 000 per month, and this salary is renewable after three to four years. There are also other basic bonuses and allowances which is given to Pharmacists.
This is a breakdown of how much Pharmacists earn per level of experience.
Salaries of Pharmacists in Government Hospitals/Teaching Hospitals
- Entry level (0 – 2 years’ experience): N165, 000 – N200, 000 (Although one or two teaching hospitals pay N300, 000 for entry level).
- Mid-Level (2 – 5 years): N250, 000 – N450, 000
- Experienced (5 years and above): N450, 000 – N800, 000 thousand Naira.
Salaries of Pharmacists in Private Hospitals
- Entry level (0 – 2 years’ experience): N50, 000 – N150, 000
- Mid-Level (2 – 5 years): N150, 000 – N250, 000
- Experienced (5 years and above): N200, 000 – N400, 000
How to Become a Pharmacist in Nigeria
Want to become a Pharmacist in Nigeria? If you’re interested in becoming a professional Pharmacy, here is a quick guide and requirements you must meet before becoming a professional Pharmacist in Nigeria.
Follow this guide shared below on how to become a Pharmacist in Nigeria.
- Get The Required Certifications:
Before you can become a professional Pharmacist in Nigeria, you need to have the necessary certifications. First of all, you need to have the necessary Primary and secondary certification. You need to score 200 and above in JAMB and pass your school of choice post UTME screening test, then you can proceed to a University to study Pharmacy.
I have discovered that most Nigerian Universities usually demand at least a credit pass in basic science subjects including Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and English Language.
- Internship
Internship for Pharmacist is very important. For students whose aim is to become Future Pharmacists, you should note that while in the university, you are expected to go for a compulsory one-year internship program where you will practise as a Pharmacist in a hospital or teaching hospital. While in Internship, you will learn a lot more about the profession and have an opportunity to relate with other professionals and see everything yourself.
- NYSC
Lastly, to become a fully certified Pharmacist in Nigeria, all University graduates are expected to go through the compulsory one year national Youth Service Corp. Take note that the NYSC programme lasts for one-year. Ideally, you will be posted to a hospital or a pharmacy in the area you are posted to.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us using the comment section below.
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