There are laws and code of ethics guiding the practices of Law, Medicine, Pharmacy and other established professions in Nigeria. These professional disciplines also have national bodies and associations that represent its practitioners, and monitor and maintain the standard of its profession. Project Management, though a relatively new and growing profession, has been globally accepted as a professional discipline that is applied to many aspects of a country’s or organization’s strategic plan.Project management is now one the most sought after professional skills in the world. There are lots of projects of various sizes and complexities going on in Nigeria, both in the private and public sectors leading to a high demand for Project Managers within the country.
Nigeria needs to set up a national body representing the interests of project, program and portfolio management practitioners within the country and here are some of the major reasons why it is necessary to do so:
Standardization and Regulation of Project Management Practices: Ethical conduct are very important to guide the practices within the profession. Project management is emerging as a skill that is in high demand in most industries and this comes with its own challenge. Some individuals and companies wanting to capitalize on the demand for Project Managers are adopting standards that are below par thereby leading to the delivery of low quality and even abandoned projects. We need to set up an acceptable national standard and regulate project management practices within the country. Also, by setting up code of conducts and guidelines, Project Managers will be aware of what constitutes legitimate practices based on particular standards and methodologies that are globally supported around the world.
Tracking and Monitoring of On-Going Public Projects: Monitoring is a very important aspect of project management. Countries like the UK and Malaysia have developed an effective monitoring mechanism based on best practices on key areas of governance, delivery and efficiency and this mechanism have produced excellent results. Nigeria needs to replicate the same model to help in ensuring implementation on the government’s policy decisions. Without proper monitoring of projects from start to finish, most projects tend to get abandoned leading to wastage of the nation’s scarce resources. Collection of timely and relevant information along with regular monitoring of performance could be one the functions of the national body, which will be tasked with keeping the President appraised of progress by various ministries.
Research and Professional Development: Research and professional development is not a one-time thing; it should be a continuous part of ones project management career. The national body will make it a priority to perform research, assess and improve the skills set of its practitioners which in turn will increase their value in their various organizations and enhance their future career prospects. The national body will support in providing funds for research and development, provide standards for the industry as a whole to follow and engage with national and international standardization bodies.
Accreditation of the Profession in Tertiary Institutions: There are few tertiary institutions offering project management-related degree courses in Nigeria. But there is still a great lack of awareness about project management within the country. The national professional body would assist more universities in setting up and offering the course. It would also ensure that international project management standards and methodologies are being upheld in higher institutions offering the course as this will result in our educational system producing qualified graduates who can plan, execute and manage projects of various sizes. To continue on the maintenance and improvement of the standards of project management within the country, tertiary institutions who are willing to offer the course, either at bachelor, master, post graduate or doctorate degree levels, would have to apply to the national body and a thorough survey would be carried out to make sure they meet the necessary requirements and offer the required subjects needed before being fully accredited.
Accreditation of Training Centers: Over the past five years, there have been a rapid increase in the number of project management training centers within the country. Some of these centers are below standard and run by practitioners in other fields. The aim of this body is not to provide training, but to ensure that project professionals receive professional training from these centers. Proper survey and assessment score will be carried out and the training centers would be graded based on the number and quality of courses they offer. To maintain standard within the profession, this training centers have to be deemed compliant with a prevailing international project management methodology.
Promoting the Profession: The national body should partner with other project management associations in actively promoting project management at several levels within the country. This will help create more awareness, credibility and acceptance of the value project management offers. The national body will also organize workshops and conferences to promote the discipline which in turn will contribute to the personal and professional growth and development of its practitioners.
Membership and Certification: In some professions, membership into their professional body can act as a legal requirement and the primary formal basis for gaining entry to and setting up practice within the profession. The national body will need to set up different levels of membership for its practitioners depending on their level of experience and qualification. One of the major benefits of membership is that it allows members to connect and collaborate on projects, share ideas and expertise, and broaden their knowledge base. The national body will also be responsible for professional certification to indicate that a person possesses certain qualifications. Some certification may be renewed periodically, or may be valid for a specific period of time. It is important to note here that certifications are usually earned from a professional body or educational institute, not the government. However, the national body can decree that a certification is required by law in order to being allowed to perform a task or job in project management.
Create a Database of Project Managers: Having an estimate on the number of project managers within the country and their current experience and skills is crucial, so the national body will need to set up and frequently update its database. Doing so will also allow the government and organizations to effectively assess talent for complex projects, and select project managers for projects and programs that are best matched based on their skills and experience.
Listed above are some of the major reasons why we need to set up a National Project Management Professional Body that will act as the representative professional body for Project Management in Nigeria and aid in the development and recognition of world-class project practitioners.
Do you agree with the fact that Nigeria needs a National Project Management Professional Body? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
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