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The Registrar General and Chief Executive Officer of the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN), Mr Henry Ifeanyi Mbadiwe, has called for the standardisation and professionalisation of project management across all sectors to accelerate industrial transformation, strengthen human capital development and drive sustainable national growth.
Mbadiwe made the call at the National Industrial Manpower Summit 2026, held at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, with the theme, “Unlocking Nigeria’s Human Capital for Industrial Transformation: Building Skills, Driving Innovation and Creating Prosperity.”
He said Nigeria’s economic development and industrial expansion depended largely on effective project delivery, a competent workforce and strict adherence to recognised professional standards.
According to him, project management goes beyond routine administrative functions, serving as a critical foundation for infrastructure development, industrial expansion and the successful implementation of innovative ideas.
The CIPMN chief executive stressed that achieving meaningful industrial transformation and sustainable prosperity required deliberate investments in professional competence, workforce development and the enforcement of standards across the economy.
“When project delivery is anchored on standardised practices, transparency and accountability, it will eliminate resource wastage, reduce project abandonment and maximise the return on human capital investment,” he said.
Mbadiwe maintained that the adoption of professional project management practices would help public and private sector organisations achieve better results from investments, particularly in infrastructure, manufacturing and other critical sectors of the economy.
He noted that project failures, resource wastage and abandoned initiatives could undermine national development efforts, stressing the need for qualified professionals to oversee projects from planning and implementation to monitoring and evaluation.
The Registrar General also highlighted the statutory mandate of CIPMN, describing it as a Federal Government agency under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
He said the institute was established by the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria Act No. 3 of 2018, published in Gazette No. 15, Volume 105, and signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to him, the institute’s mandate includes licensing and certification, regulation and supervision, training, and professional standardisation, all aimed at promoting competence and ethical conduct among project management practitioners.
He explained that these responsibilities were designed to equip professionals with the requisite knowledge and skills to manage projects effectively, while ensuring that project implementation aligns with established standards and best practices.
Mbadiwe reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s development aspirations through the professionalisation of project management.
He said CIPMN remained guided by its vision of building a more sustainable future for the country through professional project management, adding that it would continue to work with government institutions, private-sector organisations and educational institutions to strengthen project delivery nationwide.
The Registrar General urged practising project managers, corporate organisations and public-sector institutions to align their operations with applicable statutory requirements and professional guidelines established by the institute.
He emphasised that effective project management was essential to ensuring that investments in national development translated into measurable economic and social benefits for Nigerians.
Mbadiwe further stressed that professional competence, institutional collaboration and accountability were indispensable to improving resource utilisation, reducing project failures and ensuring that development initiatives achieved their intended objectives.
He called for stronger cooperation among relevant stakeholders to build a workforce capable of responding to the demands of a changing industrial environment, noting that human capital development and innovation must be supported by effective project execution.
The institute, he said, would sustain its efforts to promote professional standards and responsible project delivery as part of broader measures to support industrial growth and national prosperity.
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