At the University of Ibadan (UI), Nigeria’s premier university, a student-led movement is redefining how health is understood and practiced on university campuses. The Exercise is Medicine On Campus (EIM-OC) UI Chapter is part of a global initiative to promote physical activity as a standard component of healthcare. In Nigeria, this initiative is championed by the Nigerian Heart Foundation, with coordination by Professor A. F. Adeniyi, the Director of the EIM Nigeria National Center, whose leadership continues to guide and inspire the campus chapter and more budding chapters across the country.
Led by President Oluwasegun Akinwola, the EIM-OC UI Chapter was established to translate evidence-based knowledge about physical activity into real, accessible action within the university community. In a setting where awareness of preventive healthcare is still developing, building such a program has required innovation, persistence, and strong collaboration. From its first structured general meeting in August 2021, the UI chapter set a clear tone. The orientation program not only introduced members to the mission and structure of EIM-OC, but also emphasized the importance of institutionalizing physical activity as medicine within everyday life.
The UI chapter has steadily grown through a combination of structured engagement and practical programming. One of its earliest initiatives was a fitness program in collaboration with Junior Chamber International Nigeria University College Hospital, where students gathered for guided exercise sessions including aerobics and movement challenges. The UI chapter also invested heavily in building a committed membership base through a structured recruitment process that engaged 32 individuals from diverse disciplines, followed by a probationary period designed to assess their participation, engagement, and alignment with the program’s values. Since this recruitment period, the UI chapter has grown to a member-base of 50 students and over 200 enthusiasts (e.g., interested individuals who work to share EIM-OC content).
Beyond its internal development, EIM-OC UI has played an active role in campus-wide and external collaborations. During the University of Ibadan Students’ Union Health Day, the chapter delivered a health talk on “Movement as Medicine” alongside a live exercise demonstration, engaging students in practical ways to incorporate physical activity into daily life. The chapter’s influence also extends into strategic partnerships, such as its collaboration with the Association of Physiotherapy Students for the 2025 Physiolympics, where EIM-OC UI contributed through event officiating, coordination, and financial support. This not only strengthened inter-organizational ties, but also amplified the message of physical activity as an essential component of health within recreational and competitive settings.
Taking its impact beyond campus, the chapter participated in the Work-Fit Summit (May 2025) at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps (IITA Corpers’ Association). This initiative engaged over 100 participants, promoting workplace wellness through exercise sessions, education, and interactive activities. This event marked an important step in expanding EIM beyond academic environments into broader community and corporate spaces.
What makes the UI Chapter particularly significant is its context. Developing an EIM program in Africa involves navigating limited infrastructure, varying health literacy levels, and competing academic pressures. Yet, these challenges have shaped a model that is adaptable, community-driven, and deeply relevant to local needs. Looking ahead, the chapter is focused on expanding outreach, strengthening partnerships, deepening member engagement and supporting establishment on other campuses. Future plans include scaling community-based wellness programs, increasing interdisciplinary collaboration, and contributing to research that highlights the impact of physical activity promotion in low-resource settings through proposed events such as Sports for All Fest, 7-Day Physical Activity Challengeand a combined Mental Health–Physical Health Awareness Program.
The progress of the UI program provides a practical framework that can be replicated across other universities in Africa. Within the first year of establishing an EIM-OC chapter, UI leaders set measurable goals (e.g., recruiting at least 20 active members from multiple faculties, hosting one fitness or wellness activity monthly, organizing one campus-wide health advocacy event per semester) and establishing at least two strategic partnerships with student bodies or health organizations. New chapters can also implement structured probation and induction systems to improve sustainability. Through support from the national EIM Nigeria leadership, these approaches will help campuses gradually build a strong culture of preventive health, making physical activity more integrated into everyday student life.
For institutions across Africa and beyond, the message from Ibadan is clear: meaningful change can start with a small, committed group. With the support of national bodies like the Nigerian Heart Foundation and dedicated leadership at both national and campus levels, EIM is not just an idea, it is a growing reality. At the University of Ibadan, that reality is already taking shape; one meeting, one partnership, and one movement at a time.
