Nigeria Physiotherapy Students have organised themselves into formal Students' associations since 1978. Student bodies have played no mean role in the propagation of efficient health care delivery through workshops, seminars, sports, conferences, magazines, journals and others.
The first students’ association was formed at the University of Ibadan in 1978. It was then called “Association of Undergraduate Physiotherapists”. The name has since changed to “Association of Physiotherapy Students” (APS). Lagos also has University of Lagos Association of Physiotherapy Students (ULAPS) formed in 1981.
The Obafemi Awolowo University (formerly University of Ife) Ile-Ife had IFUPSA, and the University of Nigeria, Enugu campus also has MERSA as its student association. NAPS, FSPDK Chapter also exist at the Federal School of Physiotherapy now Bayero University Kano.
The parent body of all the local associations is the Nigeria Association of Physiotherapy Students (NAPS). The body holds its Annual Scientific Conference rotated among member schools since its inception in 1981. This is the mother of all local conferences among member schools at which a National Executive Council (which steers the affairs of the National Association) is elected.
All the member associations publish scientific journals. The first journals (Vol. I and II) were published by the Association of Undergraduate Physiotherapists of the University of Ibadan in 1978. It was called Physiomag. The Journal of NAPS is called Physiotherapy BUD and was first published in 1989. The Nigerian Association of Physiotherapy Students became a member of the International Physiotherapy Students Association (IPSA) in 1992.
The Association has weathered numerous storms in the course of its existence and has continued to wax strong. There has been a consistent transition process with elections being held at regular interval. The simple principle of rotation has brought true peace and equity with every region of a highly diversified Nigeria having adequate representation.