The need to address lingering challenges in project management will be at the centre of discourse during the Project Management Institute (PMI) Nigeria Chapter Expo 2022.

L-R: Paul Omugbe, President, PMI Nigeria Chapter; George Asamani, Managing Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, Project Management Institute (PMI) and Joe Cahill, Chief Customer Officer (CCO), Project Management Institute (PMI) at the 7th annual PMI Africa Conference in Lagos.

Billed to speaker at the event are Anthony Okungbowa, Head of Service, Edo State, Precious Ajoonu, Managing Director, John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy, Edo State, Dr. Edmund Otaigbe, Group Head, Risk Management & Project Monitoring at Access Bank Plc, Katharina Felgenhauer, Delegate, Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Nigeria, Ife Adebayo, Special Assistant to the President on Innovation (Office of the Vice President), and Adeola Akande, Transformation and Change Management Lead, Dangote Group amongst others will unpack the expo and conference theme, “Resolving project failure issues in public and private sectors”.

Several workshops and panel discussions have been planned to allow attendees to sharpen their skills by engaging with peers and industry experts. They will also serve as an avenue for professionals looking to advance their careers with sector specific certifications and a launchpad for changemakers seeking a career move.

In many parts of the world and Nigeria, post-Covid-19 recovery policy measures have featured investment in infrastructure projects. An International Monetary Fund (IMF) report published ahead of the G20 leaders meeting in 2020 argued synchronised infrastructure investment push could invigorate growth, limit scarring, and address climate goals. When many countries act simultaneously, public infrastructure investment could help lift growth domestically and abroad through trade linkages.

In Nigeria, the Federal Government has established the Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (InfraCorp) with a seed capital of N1 trillion. That said, research into Nigeria’s project landscape suggests that project delivery remains an ongoing concern. According to the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), there exists a large quantum of uncompleted projects in Nigeria estimated at N12trillion. Moreover, the report also points to some 56,000 abandoned projects in all sectors across the country.

The IMF also found that countries waste about one-third of their infrastructure spending due to inefficiencies. Governments need robust frameworks to plan, allocate, and implement quality public infrastructure, it said.

“The success of large scale capital projects is dependent on how a project manager brings diverse and multi locational teams together. In the public sector, this is more pronounced as project managers must also deal with multiple stakeholders whose opinions can strongly influence the outcome. This creates an increasing need for developing competences (knowledge and most importantly power skills. The expo is a collaborative space to build bridges between private and public sectors, share learning and find solutions to problems associated with project failure”, says Emeka Unachukwu, Sales & Marketing Associate, PMI.

In Lagos on Nov 07 at the MUSON Centre and in Abuja on Nov 11, 2022, at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Conference Centre, this gathering of project talents and stakeholders in the project economy will feature a conference, an exhibition as well as a career fair.

Paul Omugbe, PMI Nigeria Chapter President, says, “The event presents an enormous opportunity for professionals and changemakers to discuss and discover their next career move. If you have a specific career path you want to pursue and don’t know who to ask, you’ll find the PMI Nigeria Chapter volunteers helpful. If you want to pay forward, contribute to building the project management community, you can join the Nigeria chapter. “

“There is a need for governments and organisations to focus on appropriately planning and executing projects that can create business value, deliver benefits, and drive return on investment. To this end, the annual PMI Nigeria Chapter Expo is curated with your career goals in mind and deliver solutions, all under one roof.”

Attendees will receive certificates of participation, and souvenirs, earn 8 PDUs, enjoy opportunities for networking and be eligible for a raffle draw to receive free PMI Global membership and a membership discount code.

“There are many skillsets that go into delivering a return on infrastructure investment, project management being key as it enables delivery on time, within scope and budget. Given the impetus on infrastructure, there is no doubt that professionals in this field have a huge future ahead of them in Nigeria. PMI’s certifications are globally recognised, which makes the holder highly employable anywhere in the world, “adds Unachukwu

Th PMI Nigeria Chapter was formed in 2005 and has over 1,300 members. It has actively promoted the best practices in project management and standards in private industries-led projects as well as government-led projects.