The Chartered Institute of Project Management of Nigeria (CIPMN) has commenced enforcement procedures against unlicenced project managers, warning that offenders risk a minimum of two years imprisonment.
The Registrar-General and Chief Executive Officer of the institute, Mr Henry Mbadiwe, disclosed the warning during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday.
Mbadiwe said the institute had secured the support of the Inspector-General of Police, with police formations nationwide directed to assist in enforcing the law regulating project management practice.
He said the institute had established enforcement structures, including legal procedures, and was engaging organisations to encourage compliance before intensifying action against defaulters.
According to him, companies that continue to engage unlicenced project managers in spite of the sensitisation efforts will face legal action, while the individuals involved can also be prosecuted.
Mbadiwe stressed that international certifications, professional degrees or other qualifications did not exempt practitioners from obtaining the licence required by Nigerian law.
He said the institute would publish an updated list of licenced project managers on its website in November to enable employers and members of the public to verify practitioners’ credentials.
The registrar-general further disclosed that the institute had recorded about 2,000 members since he assumed office on Oct. 30, 2023, adding that more sensitisation was needed to expand the pool of licenced professionals.
He said CIPMN had also collaborated with the National Universities Commission (NUC) to develop a project management curriculum for Nigerian universities, which had been adopted for use by institutions.
Mbadiwe said the initiative was aimed at developing professional capacity among students and encouraging them to obtain the necessary certification before entering the workforce.
He added that the institute was working with universities to enrol students into its professional membership system, enabling them to pursue recognised qualifications and improve their employment prospects after graduation.
On project failures in Nigeria, Mbadiwe said the institute planned to strengthen accountability by ensuring that projects were handled by licenced professionals whose details could be tracked through its digital system.
He explained that the system would help the institute identify the project managers responsible for projects that failed and investigate their professional conduct and possible negligence.
Mbadiwe also said the institute had digitised its licencing and examination processes to ensure transparency, prevent manipulation and allow qualified candidates to complete examinations remotely under electronic monitoring.
He said the system used facial recognition and other monitoring mechanisms to verify candidates’ identities and discourage examination malpractice.
The registrar-general added that CIPMN would hold its annual conference between Nov. 3 and 4, ahead of the International Project Management Day celebration on Nov. 5.
He said the four-day programme, scheduled to run until Nov. 6, would bring together licenced project management professionals and other stakeholders to promote awareness of professional standards and effective project delivery in Nigeria.
“The initiative is intended to demonstrate that project management requires established methodologies, principles and frameworks to deliver projects successfully and contribute to national development,” he said.
By Adebayo Gbeja
