PMI holds virtual Africa Conference 2021

Now in its sixth year, Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Virtual Conference on 4 September provided learning and networking opportunities for ‘Africans to learn from Africans’.

With PMOE (Project Management-Oriented Employment) opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa predicted to grow at 40 percent from 2019 to 2030 and the largest globally, PMI Africa Conference is open to Pan-African and global audiences keen to learn how changemakers and project professionals from across the continent are seizing this incredible growth opportunity.

“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’ – was therefore relevant. Changemakers are the many people who need project-based skills and insights to get work done, tackle their challenges, secure career opportunities and realise their ambitions to improve livelihoods,” Said George Asamani, Business Development Lead, PMI Sub-Saharan Africa.

Changemakers and Project Professionals heard perspectives from thought leaders and practitioners on opportunities across the continent and the skills that will continue growing in demand for project professionals.

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For example, findings from PMI’s 2021 Talent Gap Report has 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 attracted 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 percent per year. This makes the continent fertile ground for new projects and investments.

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

Included in the programme was Desmond Ovbiagele, award-winning Nigerian film director and producer of The Milkmaid Movie, who shared insights on leading projects in the world of cinema.

Renowned professor and organisational theorist Eddie Obeng concluded 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.

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. One of the speakers for the youth track will be Aya Chebbi, the first African Union Youth Envoy, and she will speak on Intergenerational Co-Leadership for Africa’s transformation.

Participation in the conference opened 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.