SHRM increases investment in Nigeria to build local capacity

World’s largest human resources management association, Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), has reinforced its confidence in the Nigerian HR development space with further partnership investments being made to strengthen the local support channel for SHRM members and HR professionals practising in Nigeria.

Brad Boyson, executive director at SHRM in charge of Middle East and Africa who was a

lead speaker at the HR Leaders in Africa Conference held in Lagos recently, said the association had set up operations in Middle East and Africa primarily to grow the body of knowledge available in the HR profession within this region.

“This is not to compete with local HR institutions but to complement them, emphasising that the association is consolidating its HR development efforts in Nigeria having seen Nigerian HR

professionals adopting the SHRM certifications for over 10 years now.

“We are here to promote HR professionalism, bearing in mind the elements of localisation required in this market, through standardisation and promotion of best practices,” he said, adding that “SHRM’s portfolio of HR certification programmes are engineered and proven to focus on best practices obtainable anywhere in the world.”

Benny Nwagwu, HR certifications lead for Skills-Farm Limited, the HR certification preparation training partner of SHRM in Nigeria, disclosed that SHRM had broadened the array of services and support available to Nigerian HR professionals through Skills-Farm.

“On earning the appropriate HR certification, for instance, Nigerian HR professionals are open to five SHRM certifications including two that are newly developed, and these are Professional in Human Resources (PHR), Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR) as well as the newly developed Human Resources Business Professional (HRBP) and Human Resources Management Professional (HRMP),” she disclosed.

According to Nwagwu, the programs which are taught and led by HCRI- and SHRM-certified instructors, are designed for human resources professionals at different levels practising primarily outside the continental US and focuses on the strategic and policy-making aspects of HR management as well as the operational and routine aspects.

While corroborating this position, Boyson said the SHRM engages in standardising the body of knowledge with a view to developing HR practices and human effectiveness with organisations while observing that a key differentiating factor between organisations is the people practices. “Anyone that passes through these certifications will achieve a higher level of technical and applied knowledge,” he disclosed.

Through the support from SHRM, Skills-Farm is now better equipped to deliver the full spectrum of SHRM’s world-class products and services for intending HR certification candidates using a dedicated team of professionals focused entirely on the Nigerian HR development space.

SHRM is the world’s largest association devoted to human resources management, representing more than 250,000 members in over 140 countries. The Society serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interest of HR profession. Founded in 1948, the professional association has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the United States and subsidiary offices in China and India.

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