Nigeria’s i-Fitness Reaches 30 Branches in Decade-Long Expansion Drive

i-Fitness Gym and Wellness Centre Ltd has expanded its footprint to 30 outlets with the opening of a new branch at Games Village, Abuja.

Barene Jankovich-Besan, a board member, described the milestone as a major step in a difficult operating environment, noting the pace of expansion over the last decade.

“This 30th branch is a significant achievement considering the complexities of the industry in a challenging market. Launching 30 branches in just over 10 years is a sign of the momentum we’ve built and the ambition to transform the wellness landscape in Africa,” she said in a LinkedIn post.

Jankovich-Besan said Nigeria’s fitness culture has changed markedly over the years, moving from niche participation to wider mainstream adoption. “When I arrived in Nigeria 15 years ago, seeing other runners on the road was rare and ‘running for fun’ was a concept many didn’t quite get,” she said. “Fitness in Nigeria felt like a luxury reserved for a few. Fast forward to today, and the energy has completely shifted. Fitness isn’t just a hobby anymore; it’s a lifestyle that everyone is embracing with passion.”

i-Fitness was founded by Foluso Ogunwale, a serial entrepreneur with experience in sales, marketing and human resources, including time at Skye Bank Plc. He launched his entrepreneurial career in 2013 and previously built Premier Impact Ltd, which evolved into Yes Mobile in 2015, an electronics retail chain that grew to five branches in Lagos.

Yes Mobile pioneered retail initiatives in Nigeria’s mobile market, including mobile electronics insurance in partnership with Axa Mansard Plc and a device swap programme that enabled customers to trade in old laptops and phones for new ones. Ogunwale grew the business from an annual turnover of N400 million in 2011 to N4 billion in 2016, before an acquisition deal with Yudala Nigeria Ltd, now Konga Ltd.

Ogunwale founded i-Fitness in 2015 with a vision to build Africa’s preferred fitness chain. The company says it aims to make health and fitness culture “common, more fun, more convenient and more affordable” to millions of Nigerians and Africans.

He holds a BSc in Accounting and an MSc in Financial Economics from the University of London, and is a senior human resources professional.