Case Studies
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4 min
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January 10, 2025
Mubarak Odeyemi
In Nigeria's healthcare sector, community pharmacies have two main challenges. They need to reach more patients and grow their profits without spending too much on new branches or inventory. For patients, quick access to medication remains priority, particularly in life-threatening or chronic conditions.
The growing problem facing pharmacies
Across Nigeria, many pharmacies operate in highly competitive neighborhoods and rely heavily on foot traffic or word-of-mouth referrals. They find it difficult to scale with the rising costs of operation and a few customers within their immediate vicinity. While running the risk of unsold medications, stock moving slowly or not having enough brand visibility that increases their profit.
Not to mention that modern healthcare consumers want convenient solutions—either by ordering medications online or visiting the closest facility that has the exact drug they need in stock.
But the overarching challenge is that most pharmacies do not have the digital infrastructure needed to serve these patients.
Committed to serving Portharcourt
Carlsana Pharmacy is located in Port Harcourt, a bustling metropolis recognised for its commercial significance in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta region. Founded in March 2021 on Trans Woji Road, Carlsana earned a reputation for providing quality healthcare, genuine medicines, and exceptional customer service.
By October 2023, the pharmacy had already opened a second branch, which is largely because it's gained the trust and loyalty of residents in its vicinity.
Despite its success and rapid growth, Carlsana was keenly aware of the need to constantly innovate. As the team looked for ways to expand their reach and keep pace with evolving patient expectations, they discovered they can earn more money by joining the Dispensary network.
Reaching more patients without sacrificing quality
While Carlsana Pharmacy has thrived on personalised service and community-focused care, there still are constraints such as:
Physical location limitations: Although two branches exist in Port Harcourt, each serves mostly walk-in clients within a certain radius.
Desire for revenue growth: Carlsana was looking for a cost-effective way to boost revenue without compromising their trademark personalised service.
Connectivity & efficiency: Carlsana wanted to ensure that patients could find their needed medications quickly, reducing the number of people who visit multiple pharmacies in search of one item.
These are common challenges for many independent pharmacies across Nigeria, where resources can be limited and operational costs high. Opening a new branch isn’t always feasible or immediate.
How Dispensary is empowering pharmacies
Dispensary, a mobile-first platform using real-time inventory data, connects patients to pharmacies, making sure they find the right medication at the right time. Forward-thinking pharmacies like Carlsana use the software to receive online medication requests and manage inventory, payments, customers and branches.
Requests, in particular, is a feature designed to:
Connect patients to pharmacies: When a patient searches for a specific medication, the Requests feature connect them to pharmacies that have it in stock.
Streamline communication: Pharmacies receive direct notifications and respond quickly to requests, minimising wait times and medication shortages.
Grow revenue: By tapping into a larger, network-driven pool of potential customers, pharmacies increase their sales footprint without opening additional branches.
Carlsana joined the Famasi network to accept requests, after conducting a thorough background check.
“it’s a reputable company, and it’s going to be a win-win for all and sundry” the management concluded. After which collaboration began in 2023, and the pharmacy was excited to test Dispensary in its day-to-day operations.
Key results
Carlsana’s initial goals in using Dispensary were straightforward:
Reach a wider range of patients
Increase revenue
According to the pharmacy’s management, both objectives have been met “significantly.” Over the past year, Carlsana has seen a 10–15% surge in revenue, directly attributed to the additional patient traffic generated through Dispensary.
Moreover, patients benefit by finding precisely what they need without the usual stress of visiting multiple pharmacies. For a rapidly expanding city like Port Harcourt, this kind of convenience is invaluable.
Lessons for other Nigerian pharmacies
Rather than taking on the risks and expenses of opening new branches in distant locations, community pharmacies can invest in technology that connects them to more customers instantly.
As witnessed in Carlsana's journey, there is the need to:
Research your partners: Carlsana performed a background check on Famasi and found them reputable. Trust is crucial in healthcare.
Balance growth and quality: The pharmacy maintained its commitment to high-quality medication and excellent service even as new customers arrived.
Track and measure results: By monitoring revenue changes and patient satisfaction, Carlsana could confidently attribute their 10–15% jump to the Requests feature.
A blueprint for sustainable growth
For Carlsana Pharmacy, joining the Famasi network represents more than just an improved bottom line—it’s a new model of patient engagement.
"I recommend Famasi Africa to other pharmacies because this partnership just shows how collaboration can improve healthcare delivery in Nigeria" - Pharm. Sandra
In an era when healthcare consumers demand more convenience and reliability, digital solutions like Requests on Dispensary help forward-looking pharmacies stand out. It will make patients get their medications quickly and conveniently, improving their healthcare experience and in turn increase the revenue of the pharmacy.
In short, Carlsana’s success offers a clear and compelling roadmap for other Nigerian pharmacies wishing to expand their patient base, boost profitability and ultimately play a more influential role in improving healthcare outcomes nationwide.
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