Community Pharmacists’ use of digital technologies to enhance patient care: A cross- sectional study in Nigeria

Background: Digital technologies are transforming healthcare delivery worldwide, yet little is known about how Community Pharmacists across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) currently utilize digital technologies(DHTs) to enhance patient care. This study aimed to assess the extent, purpose, perceived benefits, barriers, and determinants of digital technologies adoption among Community Pharmacists in Nigeria. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among registered Community Pharmacists who attended the 44th Annual National Conference of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, held in July 2025. A structured self-administered paper-based questionnaire was administered to 400 consenting participants through convenience sampling. Data were collected and analyzed using the R programming language.Results: A total of 360 filled questionnaires were retrieved, representing a response rate of 90%. Overall, commercial digital technologies such as Point of Sales softwares were widely used (88.1%) compared to specialized digital health technologies; Electronic Health Records (EHRs), telepharmacy, mobile health (mHealth) applications, and e-prescription softwares (51.4%). The Community Pharmacists primarily used digital technologies for inventory management (77.5%), with the majority reporting efficient data management (71.7%) and improved customer satisfaction (68.6%) as the primary benefits. However, their use of digital tools was limited by inadequate finances and infrastructure. Furthermore, geographic settlement, patients’ digital literacy level, and pharmacy ownership type did not significantly determine the use of DHTs (p > 0.05). In contrast, geopolitical zones of the participants played a significant role in the use of DHTs (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Despite the high adoption of digital technologies in the Nigerian community pharmacy practice, the use of specialized DHTs remains limited and uneven across regions, due to inadequate finances, infrastructure and technical capacity. These challenges are systemic and continue to hinder the comprehensive integration of DHTs into community pharmacies and the broader health sector. CPs’readiness to adopt specialized DHTs and the global interest in telepharmacy practice position CPs as avenues for driving change in digital healthcare delivery and presents a strategic opportunity for policymakers, regulatory authorities, and professional bodies to accelerate the integration of DHTs into the community pharmacy practice.