The Differences Between a Project Management Certification and a Training Certificate

It has come to my notice that most persons who are interested or are practising in the field of project management (PM) tend to confuse or interchange a PM training certificate with PM certification. They are not the same thing and all present and future project management practitioners should understand the difference. Also, most PM trainers, tutors and coach have been at fault at these as they have often failed to inform their trainees or students that what they would receive at the end of their training is a PM training certificate and NOT a PM certification.

Innovative Use of #SocialMedia for Social Good in Nigeria

Social media is playing a critical role in terms of communication, collaboration and flow of information around the world. A lot of organizations, including those in Nigeria, are leveraging social media to connect with youths, entrepreneurs, project managers, business leaders, mentors, and various group of people for a common purpose. They are using social media for social good.

Social media was also greatly used in sensitizing Nigerians about the recent ebola virus outbreak which in turn helped in curbing and/or controlling the spread of the virus. And we encourage more persons and organizations to think of innovative ways of leveraging social media for social good in Nigeria and across the globe.

How Much Does it Cost to Get a Project Management Training in Nigeria

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Getting a quality project management training in Nigeria can cost anywhere from tens to hundreds of thousands of naira, depending on the training course you are applying for and the academy or training center offering it.

There are several project management certifications and most require you to write and pass its own professional examination before awarding a professional certification. Also, to stand a good chance of passing any of the professional examination, you need to do a proper self-study or seek for quality training on that particular certification. And most training comes at a price!

The cost of some project management certification trainings are as low as N30,000 while some are as high as N600,000, but you should note that the price of any certification training varies from one academy to the other, and also that the price does not always determine the quality of the training you would receive. This is one of the reasons why you need to research on some project management academies before committing your hard-earned money.

Furthermore, before committing your money, try and find out what the fee you’re been charged for covers. Some training fee covers all the materials or resources you would need during the duration of your training, while some don’t. Also try and find out the course contents and quality of the trainers in the academy.

However, if you seek any project management certification training and you are not sure of where to get quality training in Nigeria, you can get in touch with me as I help clients, both private and corporate, source for the best project management academy within their location. Call (+234) 07030972415, 07057681036, or send an email to info @ jerryihejirika.com.

How the Educational Sector Can Develop the Practice of Project Management in Africa

If education is truly the key to any nation’s development, then education should be the key to the development of project management in Africa.

Higher or tertiary institutions offering various degree courses in project management in Africa have crucial roles to play in the development and advancement of the profession within the continent.

In case you don’t know, I’m a Bachelor’s degree holder in Project Management Technology (PMT) of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), Nigeria, and I will be sharing with you my knowledge and opinion on how the educational sector can help develop and advance the practice of project management, as part of my “Project Management for Africa” Initiative is working with institutions offering degree courses in project management in Africa.

Number of Institutions in Nigeria

FUTO was the first tertiary institution in Nigeria to offer a degree course in project management. They started offering a bachelor’s degree course in the year 1982, and now offer post-graduate degree courses in project management. You can click here to view the list of other institutions offering degree courses in project management in Nigeria.

However, the number of institutions offering the course in Nigeria is still quite low when compared to the number of higher institutions established within the country. And one of the reasons is due to the level of awareness of the profession within the country. With the initiative, we’re looking forward to working with and encouraging some institutions in setting up a project management department.

Level of Awareness

Did you know that at least…

• 40 per cent of project management graduates (bachelor’s degree holders) in Nigeria have never heard about the profession prior to gaining admission? (How they ended up in the department is beyond the scope of this article)


• 30 per cent of project management graduates in Nigeria do not know where or how to pursue their project management career?


• 70 per cent of project management graduates in Nigeria end up in other fields, positions and roles not relating to project management?

The point I’m trying to let you know is that the level of awareness of the profession in each country will always have a direct impact on the number of persons who are highly interested in studying the course within that country. And the more interested persons we have who knew about the course prior to gaining admission, the less they would want divert away from the profession upon graduating. Let me ask you, “What is the possibility or probability of persons who never applied to study medicine, pharmacy, architect, law, or any other professional course with high-level of awareness and practice gaining admission into any of those departments?” The department of project management in various institutions in Africa who are interested in supporting or sponsoring our initiative in terms of creating more awareness about the profession, are free to contact us.

Quality of Graduates

Our initiative does not focus only on creating awareness campaigns, but also in supporting institutions to produce quality graduates for the project management industry. One of the very few negative experiences I had while pursuing my degree in FUTO was the act of awarding a particular course to a lecturer who knows next-to-nothing about the course. On what capacity, on what knowledge and on what criteria would a lecturer grade or asses a student when the lecturer has openly admitted that he/she knows next-to-nothing about that particular course? The department should be blamed for offering the lecture the power to handle such a course and the lecturer should be blamed also for accepting it. This is one of the negative issues that should be checked and corrected by not just FUTO, but every other institution that’s offering a project management degree course in Africa, because the quality of graduates being produced will have a direct impact on the growth and development of the project management industry of each country.

Courses Review

The department of project management across various institutions in Africa need to review the courses being offered to its students, at least every 4 to 5 years. I would suggest the Nigeria Association of Project Management Professionals (NAPMP), Project Management South Africa (PMSA), and other national bodies representing project management in various African countries to organize a get-together with heads of departments, professors and consultants in project management within their country to create a standard course format that would strictly be adhered to by any higher institution offering a degree course in project management within that country. This will go a long way in developing the practice of project management in Africa. Another point of notice, if any new course is added, such course should be handled by a lecturer who is very knowledgeable about the course, and that’s why continuous learning and research are not only for the students, but for the lecturers as well.

Career Counseling

This is one thing that’s missing in most institutions in Nigeria. Most persons in Nigeria are confused about what course to study. Some who have already gained admission are even more confused about what roles their profession plays in the society, and project management students are not left out. Recently, I received series of email from a project management student. For personal reasons, I won’t mention the name of the person but I will quote the email for you to read: “Hi Project Manager, how is a project management graduate holder considered in the labour market? I am also studying PMT 400-Level in FUTMinna.” “Hi Project Manager, what would a project management graduate do in a construction company on site that’s different from a civil engineer, because it’s like only engineers are recognized on site? Please give me proper definition of the responsibility of a project management graduate without engineering degree on site.” “Hi brother, it has been somehow intimidating here, I think we have to define our roles and let the general public (other professionals) know. Am presently undergoing my Industrial training (IT) and I really need where project management is being practiced so that I can know what to build upon, which is very scarce.” My initiative is looking forward to working with project management departments in Africa, at offering counseling and career advice to their project management students. But for now, if you’re a PMT student or new graduate who’s still confused about where or how to pursue your project management career, I would suggest you read these two of my articles:

• Who is a Project Management Technologist?


• I Am Now a Project Management Graduate, What Next?

It would offer you some great tips.

Professional Certification

Won’t it be great if some project management students in Africa would graduate with not only a bachelor’s degree but also with a professional certification in project management? This will help in not only boosting their knowledge, as they would have to study more to sit for any of such professional examination, but it would also boost their Curriculum Vitae and their chances of getting a job in the industry. There are organizations and institutes around the world who offer some globally-accepted professional certifications in project management that do not require working experience before applying and sitting for the examination The departments of each institution should find a way in liaising with such organizations so as to offer interested students the opportunity of being certified in some professional certifications while graduating.

I have a firm believe that the educational sector have crucial roles to play in advancing the practice of project management in Africa. Non-African countries are also free to adopt some of the ideas and tips shared above if they see fit.

If you’re interested in supporting my “Project Management for Africa” Initiative or sponsoring any of our plans/events, send an email to info @ jerryihejirika.com or call (+234) 07030972415, 07057681036.

Together, we will transform Africa through project management.

project management, Project Management Africa, Project Management Education, project management nigeria

Taking Project Management to the Grassroots in Africa

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Taking project management to the grassroots in Africa is one of the major plans in my “Project Management for Africa” Initiative, and some persons have been asking me how I plan to accomplish this or what line of action would be taken.

This grassroots plan focuses more on the educational sectors in Africa. Before one becomes a project management graduate in Africa, there are 3 levels of education that one needs to pass through:

1st: The primary education (elementary schools)
2nd: The secondary education (high schools)
3rd: The higher education (polytechnics, colleges, or universities)

We’re looking forward to creating awareness campaigns that would match each level of education. Our aim is to have or create more “passionate” and professional project managers and less “accidental” project managers’ in the future in Africa.

The Primary Education: We are looking forward to designing children-like flyers or pamphlets, not to ‘directly’ promote project management, but to create a list of some popular professions, of which project management will be included. Each profession that’s listed will explain the roles they play in the society in written and pictorial format. For example, “I want to be a Doctor because Doctors cure the sick,” “I want to a Lawyer because Lawyers…..,” “I want to be a Project Manager because Project Managers….” By the time these children get to the secondary school level, some would be aware that there are professionals called Project Managers who pursue their career in the field of project management. Title to be used: “Children, What Would You Like To Be When You Grow Up?”

The Secondary Education: If you pursued and accomplished your project management professional status in Africa, let me ask you: “Were you aware of the project management profession during your secondary school days?” I never heard about the profession during my secondary school days! We are looking forward to designing informational papers that would target students at the secondary levels. Topic: “Who are Project Managers and What Roles Do They Play in the Society?” or any suitable title.

The Higher Education: If you’re a project management practitioner in Africa, tell me: “At what stage of your life did you became aware of the project management profession?” I first got to hear about the project management profession when I accidentally came in contact with a student who was pursuing a degree program in project management technology at the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), Nigeria. Then, I was planning on gaining admission into the institution. From then on, I picked interest in the profession, gained admission to study the course and now pursuing a career in the field of project management. I’d a lot of research on project management, met project management practitioners in Nigeria and networked with project managers around the world via social media, and it helped developed my passion for the profession. But, I must also tell you that during my 5 years of pursuing my degree program in FUTO, I met and discussed with a lot of project management students. Some “accidentally” got admission into the department and right till the last moment, were never interested in pursuing a career in the field of project management. Some who were very much interested in pursuing a career in project management were kind of confused about where or how to get started when they graduate. Some, who were also interested, have done their research, knew a lot about the profession and have mapped out a career path in the profession. I noticed that there was a low-level of awareness and lack of flow of information as regarding projects and project management in Nigeria, so I started this blog during my final year in school with the aim of helping to create more awareness and promote the profession in Nigeria. My aim now is to take it beyond Nigeria and focus on Africa at large. Not an easy task but also not an impossible task! So, through my initiative, I’m looking forward to working with project management departments in various higher institutions across Africa. The initiative will not be offering training, but career and counseling advice to project management students in Africa. The initiative also aims to distribute informational materials which will contain featured articles, career advice, stories, interviews, news, research, events and book review on project management. This informational materials will be distributed at a token price to the students. We want our project management students in Africa to be proud and have passion for the profession and also have a clear view of how they can pursue or advance their career in the profession upon graduating.

So these are our grassroots plans for the initiative and we need your support and/or sponsorship to make it a success. Each sponsor will have the privilege of placing an advert on any of our informational materials. We are also looking forward to creating a website for our “Project Management for Africa” Initiative.

Please note that some of our plans would only be made known to our supporters and sponsors via email until the main website is launched. So if you’re interested in supporting or sponsoring any of our plans, please fill in the form below:

[contact-form-7 id="2400" title="PM for Africa"]

Together, we will transform Africa through project management.

Are You Searching For A Project Management Blogger?

There has been a tremendous growth in the number of active project management blogs within the past five years. Some of these blogs cover almost every facets, methodologies, principles and practices of project management.

These growth will continue on an upward trend as a lot of project management professionals (PMPs) and offices (PMOs) are now realizing the numerous promotional benefits about on blogging and social media.

However, some PMPs and PMOs do not have any idea of how to set up, use or manage a project management blog, some do not have the time to put their ideas, knowledge, experiences and opinions into writing so as to share on their blog. Do not worry as we have a solution for you.

If you need a professional project management blogger to help you

• Set up your own project management blog


• Manage yours and/or your PMO’s blog(s)


• Put your project management ideas, knowledge or experiences into professional writing and share on your blog

Then feel free to contact me.

Here are some of the reasons why you should hire me as your project management blogger:

1. Project Management Knowledge: I have a BTech in Project Management Technology from the Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria, so I understand most project management terminologies. I also understand the impact of cost, time and quality on any given project.

2. Excellent Writing Skills: I have written lots of original and high-quality articles on project management. You can browse through my blog for samples. My articles are also featured on some project management journals.

3. Knowledge About Blogging and Blog Management: I have been blogging since 2008, most especially using the WordPress and Blogger platforms, so I am well-experienced and versatile in the art of blogging and blog management. I am also a passionate blogger.

4. Have Passion for Project Management: I am passionate about promoting project management globally by leveraging social media. I have also set up project management groups on various social media networks such as Facebook and LinkedIn where I share and discuss the latest happening in the world of project management.

5. Creative Thinker: I am very good at thinking, analyzing and creating new project ideas and topics that will help build a profitable project management blog for you or your organization.

6. Hardworking and Dedicated: I am a very hard-working and committed person. I do my jobs diligently, professionally, and can also work in a team.

Connect with me and let’s build yours or your company’s project management blog. I can work either full-time (if not committed already), part-time, contract basis or on a pay-per-blogging basis.

PMP Blogger, PRINCE2 Blogger, Project Management Blogger, Social Project Manager

Bresson AS Nigeria Breaks Ground On 90MW Power Plant

Bresson AS Nigeria Limited, a privately owned Nigerian company and one of the pioneer licensed independent power producers (IPPs) in the country, has broken ground for its first power plant situated in Magboro, Ogun State.

The power plant will generate 90 megawatts (MW) to boost power generation and supply in Nigeria, and the company hopes to bring the plant configured on 2GE LM 6000 to commissioning in 2015. The plant is designed for supply of power to the national grid while an additional 20MW project, a joint project between Bresson and Aggreko is designed to serve the immediate neighbourhood of Magboro as an embedded generation option.

The company said it had secured financing as well as gas supply for the 90MW plant. When the project is completed it would be linked to the national grid.

Gbenga Olawepo, chairman, Bresson AS Nigeria, at the ground-breaking at the weekend, said: “Ten years ago, we conceived this project, and we have spent $10 million in those years without return. Within the next 12 months, the president will come to commission at least one unit of the plant. The community is already benefiting in terms of jobs and will benefit more. We already have a lot of customers who want to take 2MW to 3MW. There is a strong commitment by the Federal Government to the power sector.”

Also speaking at the event, Chinedu Nebo, minister of power, who lauded the efforts by the company, said the 90MW project WAs very important. “It is very important to realise that power generation, transmission and distribution are the fulcrum of national development. Qualitative power supply is very cardinal to the mandate of President Goodluck Jonathan. It is a contract we have with Nigerians and we are ready to enforce it. This power plant will change this area. Once it is completed, the community will improve. There will be more jobs and industrial growth. Power supply drives industrial growth,” he said.

Stressing the need for access to electricity in the country, Ibikunle Amosu, governor of Ogun State, who was represented by Taiwo Fagbemi, his special adviser on energy, said it was only a long-distance runner that can embark on investment on energy infrastructure.

Bresson AS is principally engaged in the business of acquiring, developing, owning, and operating independent power generating facilities. The company, founded April 2005, recently concluded plans with emergency power conglomerate Aggreko to bolster Nigeria electricity market with 250MW of electricity within the next nine months.

[BusinessDay]

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Bresson AS Nigeria, energy project, Magboro Power Plant, power project

Germany Promises Technical Support For Nigeria’s Power Sector

The Federal Republic of Germany has expressed readiness to transfer technical know-how to key players in the Nigerian power sector as part of measures to solve the country’s energy crisis.

The Head of Energy and Environment Desk, Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Nigeria, Mrs. Barbel Freyer, said her government was interested in partnering Nigeria on the various alternative sources of power generation.

Freyer spoke in Lagos on Wednesday during a seminar on embedded power generation with leading energy industry players in Nigeria.

According to her, the German government was ready to share its success stories on research, development and feasibility aspects of solar, biogas and wind solutions to ending epileptic power supply.

She said, “The Federal Government of Nigeria has taken a big step in privatising the power sector which we think is a very good step. But there are still some issues.

“On the know-how level, we can bring German businesses and Nigerian power investors together to work on the technical aspects. We have a lot of know-how to transfer and we are hoping to find Nigerian business partners in order to take up the various challenges.”

The German Consul-General in Nigeria, Mr. Michael Derus, said there was a need for the Federal Government to take advantage of new technologies in order to ensure a regular supply of electricity that would enable local businesses to thrive.

He particularly advised Nigeria to take advantage of solar energy as a means of power generation, especially when the general climatic condition in the country favours it.

He stated that the embedded power generation model, which enables private producers to generate electricity from small plants and sell directly to the Discos for onward supply to consumers, had been quite effective in Germany.

Derus said, “What we are going to do is to present the solutions as it works in Germany and of course, it would be necessary to have meaningful adaptations to suit the local needs.

“If you look at the general climatic condition here in Nigeria closely, you would see that solar and wind energy power solutions would even be more favourable than in Germany.

“I think you should really take advantage of new technology with embedded solutions and solve some of the power problems you experience in order to bring about the development of the country.

“Embedded solutions have contributed to a very high and reliable energy security in Germany, which the country here, for various and well known reasons, is far away from. Although, it might not be the only solution, it could be a solution that could contribute in the long run to providing better energy supply.”

[PUNCH]

Subscribe to our blog and get all the latest news from 100s of local, national and international sources as concerning projects and project management in Nigeria. Our blog is your one-stop shop for all projects news in Nigeria and also project management, blogging, content writing and social media ideas. You can also connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Germany, Nigeria, power sector

Bresson AS Nigeria Breaks Ground On 90MW Power Plant

Bresson AS Nigeria Limited, a privately owned Nigerian company and one of the pioneer licensed independent power producers (IPPs) in the country, has broken ground for its first power plant situated in Magboro, Ogun State.

The power plant will generate 90 megawatts (MW) to boost power generation and supply in Nigeria, and the company hopes to bring the plant configured on 2GE LM 6000 to commissioning in 2015. The plant is designed for supply of power to the national grid while an additional 20MW project, a joint project between Bresson and Aggreko is designed to serve the immediate neighbourhood of Magboro as an embedded generation option.

The company said it had secured financing as well as gas supply for the 90MW plant. When the project is completed it would be linked to the national grid.

power project

FEC Okays N1.3bn Consultancy Contracts For Railway Development

THE Federal Executive Council (FEC), on Wednesday, approved contracts for feasibility studies on the development of standard gauge railway lines in six corridors across the country, worth N1.3 billion.

The approval followed a memorandum presented to it for deliberation by the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar.

Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, at the Presidential Villa, Umar, who was joined by the Minister of Information and his Trade and Investment counterpart, Mr Labaran Maku and Dr Olusegun Aganga, said the six lots, totalling 4,430 kilometres, were in addition to seven approved by the council last year.

The six corridors included the Kano-Dayi-Katsina-Jibiya rail line; Ilela-Sokoto-Jega-Yauti-Makera rail line; Aba-Ikot Ekpene-Ibiono-Itu(spur line to Uyo)-Odupkani-Calabar rail line.

Others are Kano-Nguru-Gashua-Damaturu/Gamborun-Ngala rail line; Calabar-Ikom-Obudu-Ogoja-Katsina Ala-Wukari-Jalingo-Yola-Maiduguri and Port Harcourt-Aba-Umuahia-Enugu-Makurdi-Lafia-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu-Maiduguri rail line.

Umar explained that the contracts were part of the 25 years strategic vision of the Federal Government for the rail sector in the country.

According to him, the scope of work would include detailed studies, detailed surveys and designs, identification of potential train stations and the Environmental Impact Assessment, among others.

The minister revealed that similar contracts awarded last year had been completed with the report already evaluated, adding that they would soon be advertised for further development.

On his part, Aganga disclosed that he formally reported to the FEC that the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) had recognised the development efforts of Nigeria and Ethiopia by undertaking to set up offices in the two countries.

According to him, UNIDO decided to site the offices in the two countries, because it adjudged them to have showed the strongest and highest potential for industrial development in Africa.

He said the gesture was an indication that UNIDO identified with the transformation efforts in Nigeria and endorsed the country’s industrial revolution plan.

Aganga assured that the presence of the UNIDO office in the country would enhance foreign investments flow to Nigeria and fast-track industrial development.

Noting that UNIDO had only eight of such offices in the world, Aganga said “what this means to us is that the world is acknowledging the efforts of this administration in transforming the economy.”

[Nigerian Tribune]

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Metroline Projects, Railway Projects, UNIDO