Now in its sixth year, Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Virtual Conference on 4 September will provide learning and networking opportunities for ‘Africans to learn from Africans’.
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 realise their ambitions to improve livelihoods.
As a virtual event, this year’s Africa Conference on 4 September is an incredible opportunity for learning and professional development open to every African from across the continent and globally. You 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 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. And the projected rate of PMOE (Project Management-Oriented Employment) opportunities ramping up at 40% growth from 2019 to 2030 – the largest globally.
Africa Conference will be a platform that empowers organisational leaders and professionals to create change. The conference is designed to acknowledge and further Africa’s project professionals and changemakers to the continent’s development. Driving the interest of attendees will be the renewed focus on the continent’s development opportunities and infrastructure.
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.
Included in the programme will be Desmond Ovbiagele, award-winning Nigerian film director and producer of The Milkmaid Movie, who will share insights on leading projects in the world of cinema.
Renowned professor and organisational theorist Eddie Obeng 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.
We also recognise that 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 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.
By attending the 2021 Virtual Africa Conference, delegates will benefit from a 50% discount on their PMI membership.
