The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN) have entered into a pact to strengthen collaboration to improve effective project management and delivery in the housing sector.

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Engr. Muttaqa Rabe Darma asserted this when the leadership of the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN) paid a courtesy visit to him in his office in Abuja.

Darma said the presentation by the Institute had provided a clearer understanding of its mandate and the importance of professional project management to national development, disclosing that they were not new to project management, as his background had exposed him to the field.

According to him, his experience has reinforced his belief that effective project management is essential to the successful implementation of development initiatives, particularly in a sector as broad and complex as housing.

“Every blessed thing, every aspect of our life, we manage it, and it is a project. Proper coordination and management are necessary to achieve the desired results from any project. It brings together a wide range of professionals and artisans, including engineers, architects, quantity surveyors, contractors and other practitioners.”

Similarly,he said the establishment of a chartered institute for project management was important, given the role of project management in virtually every aspect of national life and development.

The Minister also said he would examine the legal framework establishing the Institute, particularly its current institutional placement, noting that the Institute’s mandate appeared closely connected to the activities of the housing and construction sector.

He explained that professionals and practitioners across the construction value chain, including engineers, architects, artisans and other practitioners, fall within the scope of the Ministry, stressing that the Institute should also be part of the Ministry.

“We will look at your Act because, to us, they are supposed to be part of this Ministry to deal with all the artisans. We need to strive for excellence in the execution of projects, noting that the country should aspire to become a centre of excellence in whatever it undertakes.”

Earlier, the Registrar General and Chief Executive Officer of CIPMN, Mr. Henry I. Mbadiwe, explained that the Institute was established by law to regulate and professionalise project management practice in Nigeria, with a mandate to ensure that individuals responsible for leading projects possess the required skills and professional competence.

The Institute highlighted its achievements to include partnership with the National Universities Commission (NUC) in developing a core curriculum for project management, and capacity-building initiatives undertaken with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), the Nigerian Police Force, the Nigerian Army and the Lagos State Government.

The delegation expressed its readiness to collaborate with the Ministry in strengthening the capacity of officials involved in project management and improving the planning, coordination, monitoring and delivery of housing projects.