Stakeholders across the economic and governance sectors have called for stronger institutional frameworks to drive national development, identifying effective project management as the critical engine needed to achieve sustainable growth.
 
This position was the central theme at the recent mandatory proficiency training, annual conference, and induction ceremony organised by the Chartered Institute of Project Management of Nigeria (CIPMN) Membership Arm in Abuja, culminating in the formal induction of 39 new members into the institute.
   
In an official notice during the event, the CIPMN Membership Arm addressed ongoing institutional friction, clarifying that under the Federal Government Reforms of 2022, the central council is no longer responsible for membership recruitment, training and induction. 
 
The Arm urged the regulatory body to focus on its core responsibilities—such as strengthening the project management cadre within the civil service, alleging that these areas are currently neglected.
 
It confirmed that the CIPMN Membership Arm, under Hajiya Hajara Yusuf, remains the body responsible for training and induction, not the Council Secretariat under Mr. Henry Ifeanyi Mbadiwe.
 
The institute successfully conducted its hybrid mandatory proficiency training, focusing on Module One of the CIPMN Principles.

CIPMN Registrar, Hajiya Hajara Yusuf, stated that the Arm’s primary focus is to equip members to act as change agents to close the development gap between Nigeria and developed nations.
  
Delivering the keynote address, Hajiya Aisha Atiku Bagudu, Founder of the MALLPAI Foundation, emphasised that every meaningful advancement across infrastructure, healthcare, education and agriculture is delivered through efficiently executed projects.
 
Technical papers highlighting the intersection of project management, politics and corporate governance by Mr. Oladoja Adeshina posited that political terms of four or eight years are essentially projects. 
 
He argued that anyone aspiring to public office requires a firm understanding of project management principles, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make CIPMN membership mandatory for all aspiring politicians.
 
Dr. Mamu Alhaji Muhammad, Founder of Stem Child Academy, urged project managers to continuously upgrade competencies to remain relevant amid rapid technological advancement.
 
Dr. Ahmad Mabudi Bashar presented a paper on public-private partnerships (PPPs), noting that PPPs introduce a collaborative governance structure where public and private sectors share risks and rewards. 
 
Ambassador Zainab Mohammed highlighted the strategic value of women in project leadership, citing their strengths in collaborative decision-making, risk awareness, and long-term sustainability.