CIPM makes history with first virtual induction, certifies 78 HR professionals

L-R: Oluwatoyin Naiwo, Registrar/Chief Executive of CIPM; Adeyemi Ajayi, National Treasurer of CIPM; Mallam Ahmed Ladan Gobir, President and Chairman of the Governing Council of CIPM; Chidinma Justina Obiejesi, Vice President of CIPM, at the 71st Induction Ceremony of CIPM, held recently in Lagos, Nigeria

The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), Nigeria’s only statutory regulatory body for the practice of human resource management, has inducted 78 new members into the HR profession during its historic 71st Induction Ceremony, the first virtual induction in the Institute’s history.

The virtual ceremony underscored the Institute’s commitment to innovation, professional excellence, and responsiveness to the evolving world of work, while reaffirming its statutory mandate to regulate and promote human resource management practice in Nigeria.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mallam Ahmed Ladan Gobir, the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of CIPM, described the induction as a historic milestone that reflects the Institute’s resolve to embrace innovation while maintaining the highest professional standards.

“Today is special. It is historic, memorable, and symbolic because it represents the future we often speak about as HR professionals. This is our very first virtual induction ceremony,” he said.

According to him, the decision to hold the induction virtually demonstrated the Institute’s commitment to practising the principles it advocates.

“As HR professionals, we constantly advise organisations to be agile, innovative, and responsive to changing realities. At CIPM, we practise what we preach. There was no need to keep HR professionals waiting, so we chose innovation over tradition,” he stated.

Describing the inductees as “78 success stories,” the CIPM President said their admission into the Institute signified a commitment to professionalism, ethical conduct, and continuous learning.
“You are receiving much more than a certificate. You are receiving professional recognition, credibility, a badge of trust, and greater responsibility. Every time you append ACIPM, MCIPM, or FCIPM to your name, you are making a statement that you belong to a profession,” he noted.

Mallam Gobir urged the newly inducted professionals to wear their CIPM membership with pride and integrity while actively participating in the activities of the Institute at branch, chapter, and national levels.

Delivering the keynote presentation, Collins Edebiri, the Guest Speaker, Reverend challenged HR professionals to move beyond traditional administrative roles and become strategic drivers of organisational success.

Speaking on the theme, Raising the Bar of Professional Standards: HR as a Steward of Transformation, he noted that the HR profession has evolved into a strategic business function responsible for shaping organisational culture, building capability, driving employee engagement, and enabling sustainable business performance.

According to him, modern HR professionals must demonstrate strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, data-driven decision-making, coaching capability, innovation, and sound ethical judgement to remain relevant in an increasingly dynamic business environment.

Edebiri further emphasised that HR professionals are no longer merely custodians of policies but architects of organisational success whose responsibilities extend to talent development, culture building, organisational change, leadership development, and workforce planning.

In her closing remarks, Chidinma Justina Obiejesi, the Vice President of CIPM, reminded the newly inducted members that they were joining the HR profession at a defining moment when their strategic contributions are more critical than ever. She urged the new members to continually raise the bar of professional standards, uphold the values of the Institute, and serve as stewards of transformation in their respective organisations.

The 71st Induction Ceremony not only marked a historic first as CIPM’s inaugural virtual induction but also reinforced the Institute’s commitment to innovation, professionalism, and excellence.

The milestone reflects CIPM’s resolve to embrace digital transformation while continuing to equip HR practitioners with the competencies required to lead people and organisations in an increasingly dynamic world of work.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.