The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences started as a Department in the Faculty of Science in 1967.  Due to the civil war, which lasted from 1967 to 1970, the Department did not function until 1970.  It later became part of the Faculty of Biological Sciences.

The first group of students numbering 14, graduated in 1974 and since that year more than 4,000 pharmacy (B.Pharm) graduates and 30 Bachelor of Science (B.Sc Combined Pharmacology/Biochemistry) graduates have been produced.

The Department was raised to the status of a Faculty named Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in 1980 with Professor P. Iwe. Akubue as the Pioneer Dean.  The Faculty was planned to have six departments namely:

  • Department of Pharmaceutics
  • Department of Pharmaceutical Technology & Industrial Pharmacy
  • Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology
  • Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
  • Department of Pharmacognosy and
  • Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management

 

The pharmacy programme from its inception was a 5-year programme.  This has enabled students to be well-grounded in both scientific and professional aspects of pharmacy.  It is worth noting that the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria has ordered all the schools/faculties of pharmacy in Nigeria Universities to adopt a 5-year undergraduate programme.

As directed by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria and approved by the Senate of the University, the Faculty now runs a declassified degree programme with effect from 1988/89 session.  The pass mark is 50 % with the exception of dispensing and forensic pharmacy where the pass mark is 60 %.  A student who scores 70 % and above will be awarded distinction in that subject provided that he/she passes all the subjects of that examination at the first sitting.  The first batch of 84 students graduating under the declassified programme passed out in the 1991/92 academic year.

The faculty has postgraduate programmes at Masters and Doctorate (Ph.D) levels in all the departments and has graduated students at both levels. She would like to see more students take up postgraduate studies.

The Centre for Drug Research and Production (CDRP) was inaugurated in the Faculty in March 1987.  This centre when fully developed will have its own staff and consultants as well as its own research fellows and associates.