The Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN) has issued a firm warning that it will commence the strict enforcement of its licensing law, threatening individuals and organisations who practise project management without official authorisation with prosecution and a potential two-year jail term. This aggressive move signals a major regulatory shift aimed at curbing the colossal economic waste caused by poorly executed and abandoned projects across the country.
The Institute’s Registrar-General, Mr. Henry Mbadiwe, delivered the announcement during a press briefing in Abuja to mark the 2025 International Project Management Day. Mr. Mbadiwe emphasised that the CIPMN Act No. 3 of 2018 grants the Institute the sole legal power to regulate, certify, and monitor all project management practices in Nigeria. He clarified that anyone found practising without a current CIPMN licence commits an offence punishable by up to two years’ imprisonment or an optional fine.
This crackdown is driven by the severe economic consequences of project failures, which research suggests cost the Nigerian economy billions of naira annually through chronic cost overruns, lost state revenue, and the underdevelopment of critical infrastructure. Projects across sectors like housing, roads, and power are frequently stalled or abandoned due to incompetence, corruption, and poor planning. By mandating licensing and professional standards, the Institute aims to introduce the accountability necessary to minimise this national leakage.
Crucially, the enforcement model targets both the individual project manager and their employer. Mr. Mbadiwe stated, “Equally, any organisation that hires an unlicensed project manager becomes complicit under the same law.” He explained that the Institute’s intent is not merely punitive, but corrective, designed to strengthen accountability and guarantee proper project delivery. “We will not just walk into institutions and start closing projects. We will first identify who managed those projects, confirm if they are licensed, and if not, both the project manager and the employer would be liable under the Act,” he said.
The Registrar-General stressed that the Institute’s ultimate focus is on value, arguing that simply completing a project is insufficient if it has resulted in massive resource waste. “Not every completed project is a successful project. Some projects get finished but waste enormous public resources. Our focus is value, not just completion,” he affirmed. To ensure transparency in this new era of enforcement, CIPMN has digitised its entire system, issuing licences and certificates that carry a QR code, allowing instant online verification of a project manager’s certified status.
Despite the fact that the full commencement of enforcement has been briefly slowed by the challenge of recruiting a suitably competent Head of Enforcement, Mr. Mbadiwe maintained that the necessary legal and digital infrastructure is fully prepared. This push for mandatory certification and high professional standards is seen by analysts as an essential governance reform that is vital for ensuring that government and private sector investments translate into tangible, successful economic development. The Institute remains determined to hold practitioners to the highest standards, ensuring project execution is reliable, effective, and finally starts delivering commensurate value to the Nigerian populace.
