The Fate of Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN) on Project Supervision
By Aisha Oyetunji

The appointment of Dr Mimi Abu as the new sole administrator of the “Chartered Institute of Project managers of Nigeria” CIPMN earlier this year on 22nd February by president Muhammad Buhari was supposed to usher in a new era of productivity and resourcefulness to the institute, she was appointed on the bases of carrying out three very important mandate ; which is to put in place necessary structure, processes and procedures, to enable that the institute function with the stipulated rules and regulation, to ensure the act establishing the institute is amended and oversee election of a new council in line with the act.
The chartered institute of project manager of Nigeria (2017) is a statutory body, established to train, approve and discipline all project managers within the nation. The institute is also empowered by law to prosecute any project manager that is not duly registered under them as a member by the law. This is to ensure accountability and authenticity of all management projects that would be taken by on project managers.
Over the years, the low quality of projects across the nation has been a major source of concern to both the government and experts in the field, they have been various reports of collapsed building and structures, leading to lose of lives and properties worth millions of naira. In recent years alone, statistics have shown an estimate of nothing less than 461 building collapsed in Nigeria with over 1,090 deaths recorded and many injured. Then most recent case it that of a three storey building which collapsed in Lagos on the 2nd killing at least five people and another two stories on 21st of May 2022.

Talking of these statistics of casualties, It is very safe to say that the institute have a lot of work cut out for it in order to prevent future occurrence that might arise from poor structuring and management of buildings. In this light, the new sole administrator and her team are expected to combat the menace and work to ensure the objectives and aim of establishing the institute is carried out, but this has been hindered over the last few months by the court injunction of the plaintiff, Mrs. Okoronkwo, the dispelled registrar on the ground an unfair dismissal from her previous office and appointment of Dr Mimi Abu by the president.
The case which is still pending in court with continuous adjournment have prevented the new sole administrator and her team from executing their task efficiently. The rigours of the court process have proven to be a stumbling block in the way of the potential growth of the Institute operations. In order to minimize risk and possible disaster in the nearest future, the court should increase the speed of judgement and allow the Institute to resume on it’s transformation process with operations and expansion beyond construction, by overseeing all sectors of the economy, in order to increase quality assurance amongst government, private and non-governmental organisations.