UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN (UI) SENATE APPROVES ESTABLISHMENT OF NIGERIA'S FIRST FACULTY OF PHYSIOTHERAPY
The University of Ibadan (UI) has made history following the approval of its Department of Physiotherapy to become a full-fledged Faculty of Physiotherapy within the College of Medicine.
The University Senate approved the transformation at its meeting on Monday, 31 August 2026, making the University of Ibadan home to Nigeria’s first Faculty of Physiotherapy.
The development marks a major milestone in physiotherapy education and professional training in Nigeria.
A Legacy Dating Back to 1966
The history of physiotherapy education at the University of Ibadan dates back to the 1960s. In May 1964, the University Senate approved a three-year degree programme in Physiotherapy.
The first set of two students were admitted into the B.Sc. Physiotherapy programme in October 1966.
The programme initially operated with limited facilities and just one Associate Lecturer before gradually expanding its academic programmes, facilities, staff strength, research activities and areas of specialisation.
In 1981, the programme attained full departmental status.
Over the years, it developed undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, including the Bachelor of Physiotherapy, Doctor of Physiotherapy, Master of Science and PhD programmes.
New Faculty Structure
The new Faculty will have five departments:
- Department of Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy
- Department of Musculoskeletal/Orthopaedic Physiotherapy
- Department of Neurological Physiotherapy
- Department of Sports and Recreational Physiotherapy
- Department of Occupational Therapy
The transformation into a Faculty is expected to strengthen specialist training, research, curriculum development, clinical innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Looking Ahead
The Faculty aims to become a world-class physiotherapy training and research centre, while contributing to healthcare delivery, research, innovation and human-resource development in Nigeria and beyond.
The establishment of the Faculty represents the culmination of decades of development and further strengthens the University of Ibadan’s position as a pioneer in physiotherapy education.
University of Ibadan has once again made history as the home of Nigeria’s first Faculty of Physiotherapy.