Human resource professionals must move beyond routine personnel management and demonstrate their contribution to productivity, organisational performance and Nigeria’s economic growth, the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), Ahmed Ladan Gobir, has said.

Gobir spoke in Abuja yesterday at the opening of the 58th International Conference and Exhibition of CIPM, which attracted more than 4,000 physical delegates and over 1,000 virtual participants.

With the theme, “Repositioning for Value and Impact,” the conference is examining the role of people management in strengthening organisational performance and addressing workforce challenges confronting the Nigerian economy.

Gobir said HR professionals should no longer measure their relevance principally by the volume of activities carried out, but by the tangible difference their interventions make to organisations and the wider economy.

He said the profession must increasingly demonstrate how effective management and development of people can improve productivity, strengthen organisational capacity and support growth.

The position places HR professionals at a critical point in Nigeria’s economic development, given their responsibilities for workforce planning, recruitment, skills development, performance management, employee retention and workplace relations.

He argued that these functions have direct implications for the ability of businesses and public institutions to deploy labour efficiently, develop the skills required by changing industries and improve workforce productivity.

Gobir said the 2026 conference builds on previous CIPM discussions around resilience and the future of work, but represents a call to translate ideas into measurable outcomes.

He urged HR practitioners to ensure that people-management strategies contribute meaningfully to organisational and national development.

On his part, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, who delivered the keynote address, described the conference as an important platform for addressing contemporary workplace challenges and advancing workforce development.

Dingyadi commended CIPM for bringing together practitioners, employers, policymakers, academics and other stakeholders to exchange ideas and develop practical responses to issues shaping the world of work.

He also acknowledged the institute’s longstanding contribution to ethical leadership, professional excellence and effective people management.

The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, said CIPM had consistently worked to raise standards in people management and build the capacity of people managers nationwide.

He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with CIPM as a reform partner in the Nigerian Civil Service.

The Head of Service of Lagos State, Bode Agoro, also commended the institute for its contribution to the professionalisation of human resource management in Lagos State and Nigeria.

Similarly, the Head of Service of Ogun State, Olanrewaju Iskeel Saka, praised CIPM’s commitment to workforce development and human capital advancement.