Over 56,000 Projects Abandoned in Nigeria, Says CIPMN

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN) has expressed displeasure over the abandonment of about 56, 000 projects across the country.

The institute noted that failure to engage professionals in the construction of projects had led to their abandonments.

The Team Lead of the Practice Sub-Committee of CIPMN, Mr Inimi Stephen, disclose this during their annual general meeting, investiture, induction, DUCAP training and award in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Stephen disclosed that: “A research was done and it was observed that over 56,000 projects had been abandoned in Nigeria. The value is worth over N17 trillion and it is still counting.”

He said cultural attitude of Nigerians towards projects’ execution was at variance with what was obtainable in other climes.

“One of the peculiarities Nigeria has is that there are so many things that occur in Nigeria that do not occur anywhere in the world. For example, let’s look at our culture. If you are managing a project in America, you would work from Monday to Sunday.

“But, in Nigeria, if you are managing a project in the south and you want your workers to come to work on Sunday, they (workers) would tell you, no, they are Christians. In the same vein, when you go to the north, on Fridays, they wouldn’t want to go to work.

“Some of these projects even if you complete them now would not be used. They are already obsolete. And some of them, in order to complete them, would cost four or five times their original budget,” he added.

He said one of the mandate of the institute was to ensure that project management in Nigeria change the narratives.

“Nigeria is labeled by a lot of countries as projects management graveyard. If you drive along the roads, you see a lot of abandoned projects. It is very disheartening.

“So, we developed a methodology called DUCAP, which means Delivering Unified Contemporary Aggregated Project. This methodology was developed by professionals who came together and developed a methodology that would work for Nigerian projects,” he added.

In her remarks, the Chairman, Governing Board of CIPMN, Dr. Victoria Okoronkwo, said the institute hosted the event in Port Harcourt, so that people in the zone would know that project management was no longer business as usual.

She said the institute was equipping its members through training, to enable them to overcome challenges that might confront them while executing projects.

“People should look at project management as what would help us develop this nation,” he added.