The Project Management Institute (PMI) Nigeria Chapter has underscored the need for stronger digital transformation, institutional continuity and stakeholder engagement to improve the success rate of public sector projects across Nigeria.

The call was made during the maiden edition of the Project Success Series, Series 1, Episode 1, themed “Delivering Nigeria’s Future: Strengthening Sustainable Public Project Success,” organised by PMI Nigeria Chapter.

PMI Nigeria Chapter President, Dr. Gbolahan Oyelakin, noted the growing importance of digital transformation in government project delivery and urged stakeholders to explore how technology can be leveraged to facilitate value creation and sustainable outcomes.

Oyelakin noted that digital transformation has become a critical component of governance and project execution, prompting discussions on lessons from past information technology projects and strategies for ensuring long-term value delivery.

“Public projects are the backbone of Nigeria’s sustainable development. Delivering them successfully requires more than just budgets, timelines, or scope analysis. It requires effective monitoring systems, timely support for project teams, and genuine collaboration across different sectors of the economy. These are the things we need to give the utmost importance and attention to.

“Strengthening institutional frameworks, embedding sustainability into project design, and leveraging digital technologies are critical to improving project delivery outcomes and ensuring continuity of public sector initiatives in Nigeria.”

According to Rimamskeb Nuhu, Special Assistant to the President on Workforce Development in the Office of the Vice President (OVP), successful digital projects depend largely on political will, institutional coordination and effective change management rather than technology alone.

Drawing from his experience in government, Nuhu cited the establishment of a database of approximately six million farmers during the COVID-19 period as an example of a digital project that achieved significant scale due to strong government backing and inter-agency collaboration.

According to him, one of the biggest challenges facing government technology initiatives is institutional adoption, noting that resistance to change often hampers implementation efforts.

He stressed the importance of designing projects with sustainability and transition plans from inception, adding that project owners must clearly define who will maintain systems, manage data and fund the infrastructure after implementation teams exit.

“Successful digital projects are not technology projects; they are change management projects that happen to use technology,” Nuhu said.

He also pointed to the Federal Government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme as an example of a project designed with feedback mechanisms that enable continuous improvement and scaling based on lessons learned from earlier phases.

According to him, projects that are linked to decision-making processes and measurable outcomes are more likely to remain relevant and sustainable than standalone digital tools.

Also speaking, Shuhdah Ahmed, Special Assistant to the President on Project Support in the Office of the Vice President, identified weak institutional memory, fragmented documentation and politically driven transitions as major obstacles to project sustainability in Nigeria’s public sector.

Ahmed said poor documentation often forces successive administrations to restart procurement processes and rediscover existing initiatives, resulting in delays and inefficiencies.

She advocated mandatory project handover frameworks at the end of every administration and recommended that transition planning should begin at the project design stage.

Drawing from her experience in Kaduna State, Ahmed said proper documentation and digitisation of project records helped facilitate smoother transitions between administrations.

She further called for the adoption of digital project management systems across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), stressing that data has become a critical asset for effective governance.

Ahmed cited the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) programme and the Human Capital Development Programme as examples of initiatives that have successfully transitioned across administrations through strong governance structures, performance monitoring mechanisms and digital reporting systems.

Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties and National Emergency Management in the Office of the Vice President, Mohammed Ahmed, said technology, innovation and human capital development must form the foundation of Nigeria’s future public projects.

Ahmed noted that as Nigeria transitions from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-driven economy, investments in digital infrastructure, education technology and skills development will be critical to unlocking the potential of the country’s rapidly growing youth population.

“Nigeria’s greatest asset is its youth. Every project we undertake, whether physical infrastructure or programmes aimed at human capital development, must be designed to prepare young people for the future economy and the opportunities it presents,” he said.

Executive Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Project Implementation and Monitoring, Olusegun Sanwo-Olu, said the successful delivery of major infrastructure projects in Lagos demonstrates how technology, data-driven planning and strong institutions can improve urban mobility and service delivery.

He cited the Lagos Blue Rail Line as a prime example of technology-enabled public infrastructure, noting that the mass transit system has transformed commuting by reducing travel time between Marina and Mile 2 from about two hours to 18 minutes.

According to him, the rail network currently operates about 90 trips daily, has transported more than five million passengers since its commissioning and has maintained a zero-fatality record, underscoring the role of modern transportation technology in enhancing safety, efficiency and productivity.

Sanwo-Olu added that the state’s rail projects form part of a broader vision to build an integrated transportation ecosystem powered by modern infrastructure, smart planning and sustainable project delivery.