The Project Management Institute (PMI) has harped on the need to continue to support project management professionals, including Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs), government agencies and corporate organisations.
The institute at a press conference held yesterday, in Lagos stressed the need to position project management professionalism as crucial for all who undertake projects in both private and public sectors.
In his address, the PMI’s Region Mentor for Africa, Ike Nkankwo, spoke on the institute’s plans on collaboration and advocacy.
“The PMI is one of the world’s largest volunteer based not- for-profit membership associations with over 500,000 members and over 1,500,000 certification holders, worldwide.
“Through global advocacy, collaboration, education and research, PMI works to prepare more than three million professionals around the world for the project economy: the coming economy in which work and individuals are organised around projects.
“A project is that which has a start and has an end. If you really want to get result, you look for a certified project management professional. It’s like saying everyone is a doctor because you take care of your immediate loved ones, but when it gets to a stage, you cannot but hire the service of a professional doctor. Some people play around with the word PMP. We have been looking at creating a strategy and plan to focus on Africa and Nigeria,” he said.
On how the activities of the institute benefit the SMEs, Nwankwo added, “Do SMEs do projects? If it is applicable for SMEs to do project then it means that project management is applicable to them.”
Speaking on the training and advocacy programmes of the institute, the Region Mentor for Africa, Project Management Institute Education Foundation (PMIEF), Titiola Park, said: “We often go to schools and non-profit organisations to train people for free. We are very mindful of the upcoming generation.
“For nearly 30 years, PMIEF has helped put youth on the path to success by incorporating project management skills into their daily lives. We focus on youths and help them to engage competitively.”
Stating the institute’s value proposition, Park added that “the institute advocates for project management best practices.”