CIPMN commences enforcement of project management licensing law

The Chartered Institute of Project Management of Nigeria (CIPMN) has commenced enforcement procedures against unlicensed 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 this 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, while engaging organisations to encourage compliance before intensifying action against defaulters.

According to him, companies that continue to engage unlicensed project managers despite sensitisation efforts will face legal action, while the individuals involved may also be prosecuted.

Mbadiwe stressed that international certifications, professional degrees and other qualifications did not exempt practitioners from obtaining the licence required by Nigerian law.

He said the institute would publish an updated list of licensed project managers on its website in November to enable employers and members of the public to verify practitioners’ credentials.

The registrar-general 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 increase the number of licensed professionals.

He said CIPMN had collaborated with the National Universities Commission (NUC) to develop a project management curriculum for Nigerian universities, which had been adopted by institutions.

According to him, the initiative aims to build professional capacity among students and encourage them to obtain the necessary certification before entering the workforce.

He added that the institute was working with universities to enrol students in 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 licensed professionals whose details could be tracked through its digital system.

He explained that the system would help the institute identify project managers responsible for failed projects and investigate their professional conduct and possible negligence.

Mbadiwe also said the institute had digitised its licensing and examination processes to promote transparency, prevent manipulation and allow qualified candidates to take 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 from Nov. 3 to Nov. 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 licensed project management professionals and other stakeholders to promote 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.