Without sounding biased..Do you think that Nigerian Organizations really practice 'Project Management' in the true sense of it?Lets pick your brains here.
Today,we have a very interesting discuss on my Nigerian Association on Project Management Group on linked in that we want to share.
The topic of the discussion was ‘Without sounding biased..Do you think that Nigerian Organizations really practice 'Project Management' in the true sense of it?Lets pick your brains here’ there were so many interesting comments coming from Project Management Practioners in Nigeria and the diaspora.
With the onslaught of a new government come May 29th 2011,we hope they will listen to these comments and build a better Project Nigeria during their leadership span of 4years!These comments to me were some of the best.
Have a good read, remember to leave your own comment behind!
1. It's difficult to say; perhaps I shouldn't even comment on this, having never had a go at practising Project Management in Nigeria. I do however know that quality and excellence in both development and delivery are the bed rocks of project management and it is still, to a large extent, a growing science. In my experience, PM is not a pure science. It is pretty situational and you've got to have organisational buy-in before it works. In an environment where resources are scarce, the only way to deliver to quality is by using core PM principles. It is up to Project Managers and PM institutions to continue to raise awareness on the value of running projects using project management tools.
2. The concept of Project Management is still in its infancy in Nigeria and with Nigerian organisations. It's not seen as an enabler in deliverables of organisational objectives and its broader vision.
3. Without outlining such inhibiting factors numerically, one of the major factors keeping Nigerian organisations from implementing PM processess in their organisations, in my view, is the lack of knowledge - their lack of what PM is all about and it's applications to their respective business needs irrespective of the project size. I have a firsthand experience of this. Their lack/slow take-up of PM best practices is primarily predicated on not knowing what PM is all about.
And this is where PM practioners in the country come in. There's the need to educate the business stakeholders. This is not going to be a one day wonder. No, not at all. It can only be achieved through a deliberate, planned and sustained strategic process.
4. It is pretty difficult to say that it's all down to the Project Manager. The Organisational design determines the powers bequitted the Project Manager. If the Organisation is a functional, non-matrixed organisation, the Project Manager is most likely going to be weak, and unlikely to be empowered. If the Organisation cannot articulate the need for a Project Manager, there is no way the functional Managers will ever fully support the Project Manager. Quality, afterall, is driven by organisational processes and systems, which makes implementation by Project Managers easier. I do believe that awareness is key. Project Managers and Project Management bodies need to effectively show gaps that exist in quality and delivery, and exhibit the value of Project Management.
5. As much as organizations would love to 'up' their bottom line,are they prepared to change the status quo? The effective practice of PM by organizations in the country can be facilitated by carefully designed awareness campaigns and sound change management strategies.
6. I do believe that in Nigeria, we need to educate these companies. We that have been exposed to best practices should educate our people that improving performance can only be done through the principles of Project Management.
Many companies go to the negotiating table for contracts or bids by highlighting the PMP's they have and assure them their project will be handled by professionals who can deliver based on best practice and that will increase their bottom line.
As a growing economy, Nigeria needs to apply the Project Management Principles if they are to compete in the global market. We have to do a better job of getting the word out.
7. Thanks for this sensitive question, Nigerian education system is not so bad in respect of the curriculum ,but they can also improve the system and everything is centered on the hand of the Govt. The govt. need to include some practical courses and training on project mgt, this will facilitate them to be able to compete effectively with other expatriate on the field . Also our Govt. need to have a maintenance culture. This is based on my exposure in the western world and as an international student
8. The answer is an emphatic NO. A lot of the organisations think they do and a best functional structured with pm activities. I may be wrong but a lot of the organisations in Nigeria are not projectized and hence cannot be said practice project management or better put have a PM methodology for running projects.
The governmental organisations are bigger culprits. It is a shame that ministries and parastatals running big projects have no defined project methodology, hence why we have a lot of incomplete projects, projects overrun by costs as well as ongoing projects with no sort of monitoring. A lot of countries have adopted PM as a way of running their organisations with proper success.
9. About "750 abandoned projects across the country in the last 12 years", according to Governor Fashola, of Lagos State (Vangauard, M\arch 14th 2011)! That, to me, is the whole summation of the state of Pmgt practice in Nigeria.That's a very high failure rate, if you ask me.
Need l say more!!!!
10. I'd say we're all agreed on the fact that there are gaps in the practise of project Management in Nigeria. The most prevalent gap is the non-existence of a quality system which would in effect drive the need for project managers as drivers and implementors of quality. in plain English, you don't miss what you don't know. Project Management organisations and certifying bodies need to get on their soap boxes and educate the Nigerian governmental and business literati on the gaps that exist in their deliverables because they either do not use project managers, or do not use them effectively. Targeting professional association events (chambers of commerce, ICAN, Institute of bankers, for instance), and present them with case studies on failed projects or overruns, and how Project Management could have turned these around, would be a sensible way to start the process. We are pretty much running the risk of imposing a profession on Nigeria without necessarily going through the rigor of actually outlining the benefits these skills bring. Why should a business use a project manager when no one has explained to the business the difference between a project manager and a Management Accountant? Therein lies the challenge. Nigeria simply does not understand this service, and understands the value it brings even less. It is my opinion that Universities offering degrees in Project Management cannot be seen as doing enough until they also start running symposia on the value project management brings, targeted at the segment of society that needs to hear it the most: Government bodies and business leaders.
11. Most organizations in Nigeria do not know there are processes that could be employed to manage projects successfully. Take the construction industries as a case study, once you are a Civil Engineering graduate or an Architect you are a sure project manager-Halo effect.
A bad side of our organizations is that we hardly measure project success, and closure is indefinite. I have worked in a company where money spent on changes (called variations) was over 60% of the approved project cost for a fixed price contract. We manage projects anyhow.
We, as PMs need to let people and organizations know that there are best and most effective ways of handling projects. And the time is now!
12. In my opinion and from reality given the fact that I have been working and still currently working in world-class project, I can see that Nigeria companies or companies operating in Nigeria whatever the case, are NOT really practicing Project Management in it context.
This is true to the fact that the percentages of Nigerian that are PMI certified who are project managers in these companies are relatively very few.... therefore the non compliance to project management best practices in Nigeria owned industry and organization to be precise is due to the lack of awareness and knowledge of project management best practices. This is one of the major reasons the ProMaCon annual conference is being organise in Abuja by PMILN.... It objectives focuses on institutionalizing project management best practices into the Nigerian core economy in teams of project management and administration as to prevent any further project abandonment in Nigeria.... and the message is spreading......
However, am very much optimistic that given the pace with which we young Nigerians are graving for project management knowledge and education, and as universities are now incorporating project management courses, there is absolute hope..., in my own opinion that, in no distance time, the revise will surely be the case...
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Tell a friend about us.Thank you!
The topic of the discussion was ‘Without sounding biased..Do you think that Nigerian Organizations really practice 'Project Management' in the true sense of it?Lets pick your brains here’ there were so many interesting comments coming from Project Management Practioners in Nigeria and the diaspora.
With the onslaught of a new government come May 29th 2011,we hope they will listen to these comments and build a better Project Nigeria during their leadership span of 4years!These comments to me were some of the best.
Have a good read, remember to leave your own comment behind!
1. It's difficult to say; perhaps I shouldn't even comment on this, having never had a go at practising Project Management in Nigeria. I do however know that quality and excellence in both development and delivery are the bed rocks of project management and it is still, to a large extent, a growing science. In my experience, PM is not a pure science. It is pretty situational and you've got to have organisational buy-in before it works. In an environment where resources are scarce, the only way to deliver to quality is by using core PM principles. It is up to Project Managers and PM institutions to continue to raise awareness on the value of running projects using project management tools.
2. The concept of Project Management is still in its infancy in Nigeria and with Nigerian organisations. It's not seen as an enabler in deliverables of organisational objectives and its broader vision.
3. Without outlining such inhibiting factors numerically, one of the major factors keeping Nigerian organisations from implementing PM processess in their organisations, in my view, is the lack of knowledge - their lack of what PM is all about and it's applications to their respective business needs irrespective of the project size. I have a firsthand experience of this. Their lack/slow take-up of PM best practices is primarily predicated on not knowing what PM is all about.
And this is where PM practioners in the country come in. There's the need to educate the business stakeholders. This is not going to be a one day wonder. No, not at all. It can only be achieved through a deliberate, planned and sustained strategic process.
4. It is pretty difficult to say that it's all down to the Project Manager. The Organisational design determines the powers bequitted the Project Manager. If the Organisation is a functional, non-matrixed organisation, the Project Manager is most likely going to be weak, and unlikely to be empowered. If the Organisation cannot articulate the need for a Project Manager, there is no way the functional Managers will ever fully support the Project Manager. Quality, afterall, is driven by organisational processes and systems, which makes implementation by Project Managers easier. I do believe that awareness is key. Project Managers and Project Management bodies need to effectively show gaps that exist in quality and delivery, and exhibit the value of Project Management.
5. As much as organizations would love to 'up' their bottom line,are they prepared to change the status quo? The effective practice of PM by organizations in the country can be facilitated by carefully designed awareness campaigns and sound change management strategies.
6. I do believe that in Nigeria, we need to educate these companies. We that have been exposed to best practices should educate our people that improving performance can only be done through the principles of Project Management.
Many companies go to the negotiating table for contracts or bids by highlighting the PMP's they have and assure them their project will be handled by professionals who can deliver based on best practice and that will increase their bottom line.
As a growing economy, Nigeria needs to apply the Project Management Principles if they are to compete in the global market. We have to do a better job of getting the word out.
7. Thanks for this sensitive question, Nigerian education system is not so bad in respect of the curriculum ,but they can also improve the system and everything is centered on the hand of the Govt. The govt. need to include some practical courses and training on project mgt, this will facilitate them to be able to compete effectively with other expatriate on the field . Also our Govt. need to have a maintenance culture. This is based on my exposure in the western world and as an international student
8. The answer is an emphatic NO. A lot of the organisations think they do and a best functional structured with pm activities. I may be wrong but a lot of the organisations in Nigeria are not projectized and hence cannot be said practice project management or better put have a PM methodology for running projects.
The governmental organisations are bigger culprits. It is a shame that ministries and parastatals running big projects have no defined project methodology, hence why we have a lot of incomplete projects, projects overrun by costs as well as ongoing projects with no sort of monitoring. A lot of countries have adopted PM as a way of running their organisations with proper success.
9. About "750 abandoned projects across the country in the last 12 years", according to Governor Fashola, of Lagos State (Vangauard, M\arch 14th 2011)! That, to me, is the whole summation of the state of Pmgt practice in Nigeria.That's a very high failure rate, if you ask me.
Need l say more!!!!
10. I'd say we're all agreed on the fact that there are gaps in the practise of project Management in Nigeria. The most prevalent gap is the non-existence of a quality system which would in effect drive the need for project managers as drivers and implementors of quality. in plain English, you don't miss what you don't know. Project Management organisations and certifying bodies need to get on their soap boxes and educate the Nigerian governmental and business literati on the gaps that exist in their deliverables because they either do not use project managers, or do not use them effectively. Targeting professional association events (chambers of commerce, ICAN, Institute of bankers, for instance), and present them with case studies on failed projects or overruns, and how Project Management could have turned these around, would be a sensible way to start the process. We are pretty much running the risk of imposing a profession on Nigeria without necessarily going through the rigor of actually outlining the benefits these skills bring. Why should a business use a project manager when no one has explained to the business the difference between a project manager and a Management Accountant? Therein lies the challenge. Nigeria simply does not understand this service, and understands the value it brings even less. It is my opinion that Universities offering degrees in Project Management cannot be seen as doing enough until they also start running symposia on the value project management brings, targeted at the segment of society that needs to hear it the most: Government bodies and business leaders.
11. Most organizations in Nigeria do not know there are processes that could be employed to manage projects successfully. Take the construction industries as a case study, once you are a Civil Engineering graduate or an Architect you are a sure project manager-Halo effect.
A bad side of our organizations is that we hardly measure project success, and closure is indefinite. I have worked in a company where money spent on changes (called variations) was over 60% of the approved project cost for a fixed price contract. We manage projects anyhow.
We, as PMs need to let people and organizations know that there are best and most effective ways of handling projects. And the time is now!
12. In my opinion and from reality given the fact that I have been working and still currently working in world-class project, I can see that Nigeria companies or companies operating in Nigeria whatever the case, are NOT really practicing Project Management in it context.
This is true to the fact that the percentages of Nigerian that are PMI certified who are project managers in these companies are relatively very few.... therefore the non compliance to project management best practices in Nigeria owned industry and organization to be precise is due to the lack of awareness and knowledge of project management best practices. This is one of the major reasons the ProMaCon annual conference is being organise in Abuja by PMILN.... It objectives focuses on institutionalizing project management best practices into the Nigerian core economy in teams of project management and administration as to prevent any further project abandonment in Nigeria.... and the message is spreading......
However, am very much optimistic that given the pace with which we young Nigerians are graving for project management knowledge and education, and as universities are now incorporating project management courses, there is absolute hope..., in my own opinion that, in no distance time, the revise will surely be the case...
Looking to get a PMP Certification then visit www.ritetracconsult.com.ng if in Nigeria but outside Nigeria consider our Multimedia Virtual Project Management classes more information here Multimedia Virtual PMP Training
Tell a friend about us.Thank you!
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