By Victoria Ojeme

The Nigerian government has pledged to work with the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN) to harness the Institute’s expertise for enhanced project management in the country.

This was disclosed during a meeting between the CIPMN Council and the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite.

The meeting was attended by high-level officials from both the Ministry and the CIPMN, including the Director Policy and Planning, (Babagana Alkali), Director Human Resources (Dr. Mimi Abu), the Director Legal Services (Mr. Akinlonu Foluso) all from the Federal Ministry of Industry trade and investment (FMITI).

The CIPMN Council was led by the Chairman, Chief Emmanuel Olabode Afolayan, the President of the Institute, Prince Akinola Babalola and the Registrar Mr. Henry Ifeanyi Mbadiwe.

At the meeting, the CIPMN Registrar, Mr. Henry Mbadiwe, briefed the Minister on the Institute’s mandates, which include licensing all project management practitioners in Nigeria, withdrawing licenses of erring practitioners, prohibiting non-registered members from engaging or practicing project management in Nigeria, accrediting institutions of higher learning offering courses in project management, and supervising, regulating and training project management bodies and practitioners in Nigeria.

Mr. Mbadiwe also briefed the Minister on the Institute’s plans to support the Ministry’s initiatives in the areas of human capital development, planning, delivering and monitoring the Ministry’s initiatives for national development.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, appreciated the Council’s visit and reminded the Council that its responsibilities are so important to the nation and that it would be of immense benefit to utilise the Institute’s expertise in project managing various initiatives being run within the ministry and the nation at large.

The Minister also assured the Institute that the Ministry has and is always willing to work with the Institute (CIPMN) and to support it any way it could to ensure that its mandate is achieved.

Earlier, the President of the institute, Prince Akinola Babalola assure the Minister that the Institute will not entertain any attempt to circumvent the efforts by troublemakers and meddling interlopers set out to deceive the unsuspecting public by setting up and running shadow organisations in the name of CIPMN.

The meeting between the CIPMN and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment is significant for a number of reasons. First, it shows that the government is recognizing the importance of project management in national development. Second, it demonstrates the government’s commitment to working with professional bodies to improve the quality of project management in the country. It is expected to lead to increased collaboration between the public and private sectors in project management.

It is also expected that the CIPMN and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment will develop a plan for how the Institute can support the Ministry’s initiatives.