PMI announces its Virtual Africa Conference 2021

Ibidunni Banjoko

The Project Management Institute (PMI) has announced its Virtual Conference scheduled to hold on Saturday 4 September, 2021 with the theme “Africa: An Ecosystem of Changemakers”.

This year’s conference is the sixth edition and promises to provide learning and networking opportunities for ‘Africans to learn from Africans’ Project Management-Oriented Employment (PMOE).

According to the organisers, the opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa are predicted to grow at 40% from 2019 to 2030, the largest globally. PMI Africa Conference is open to the Pan-African and global audiences keen to learn how change makers and project professionals from across the continent are seizing this incredible growth opportunity.

Commenting on the conference, George Asamani, Business Development Lead, PMI Sub-Saharan Africa said: “As a virtual event, this year’s Africa Conference on 4 September is an incredible opportunity for learning and professional development open to all Changemakers in Africa and around the world. The theme of this year’s conference – ‘Africa: An Ecosystem of Changemakers’ – could, therefore, not be more relevant. Changemakers are the many people who need project-based skills and insights to get work done, tackle their challenges, secure career opportunities and realize their ambitions to improve livelihoods.”

He continued: “Changemakers and Project Professionals will hear perspectives from thought leaders and practitioners on opportunities across the continent and the skills that will continue growing in demand for project professionals. For example, findings from PMI’s 2021 Talent Gap Report have revealed that the global economy needs 25 million new project professionals by 2030 to help organisations turn their biggest ideas into reality. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the potential for economic expansion in the long term is encouraging.”

Building on the success of last year’s conference which attracted more than 2,000 delegates, this year’s virtual conference is expected to attract more Changemakers and project professionals than ever. The population of Africa has grown rapidly over the past century, making it the second most populated continent, with around 1.37bn people and a growth rate of more than 2.5% per year. This makes the continent fertile ground for new projects and investments.

The conference will provide hands-on, practical information and insights from keynote and session speakers selected for their expertise and passion.

Desmond Ovbiagele, award-winning Nigerian film director and producer of The Milkmaid Movie will be part of the programme to share insights on leading projects in the world of cinema.

Also, Aya Chebbi, the first African Union Youth Envoy, will be speaking on Intergenerational Co-Leadership for Africa’s transformation. Africa’s young population will inevitably reshape the world of project management. For this reason, we have included a dedicated track focusing on youth enablement.

Eddie Obeng, a renowned professor and organisational theorist will conclude the conference with a closing keynote on ‘Leading together to Successful Change’, highlighting how practitioners can harness the opportunities of our changing, complex and ambiguous world through interdependent innovation and project delivery.

Participation in the conference will open opportunities for delegates to learn about the latest best practices, the challenges facing professionals and strategies being put in place to meet Africa’s demanding environment. Networking opportunities and the chance to interact with speakers will add significant value for delegates attending this year’s virtual conference.

With the continent emerging slowly from the shadow of a global pandemic, it’s time to raise greater awareness about the project management profession. The skills and knowledge that can be brought to bear to transform organisations and help them exceed customer expectations have never been more important than now. Africa is one of the youngest, fastest-growing regions globally, holding enormous opportunities for project professionals and Changemakers.

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