The ambitious initiatives in Africa, which comprise infrastructure, healthcare, education, and technology, are transforming the continent’s development landscape.
However, regardless of huge investment https://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/press-releases/african-guarantee-fund-launches-5-billion-mission-300-local-currency-guarantee-facility-accelerate-energy-access-across-africa-80559 and good intentions, many projects continue to encounter delays, budget overruns, and an inability to achieve their objectives. The essential issue is not only present in project failure, but most importantly in the implementation. For this reason, this article suggests effective project management solutions by implementing globally recognized strategies tailored to African contexts.
The current state of project Delivery in Africa
For years, large-scale projects have been prevalent across the continent, primarily funded by the government, development partners, and private investors. Projects on the continent exhibit a dual narrative, characterized by significant achievement, which must not be denied, and ongoing obstacles, which cannot be overlooked. Specifically, the Tema Port Expansion in Ghana has demonstrated the potential for efficient execution of a project through the implementation of robust stakeholder cooperation and strategic investment. However, https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/kenyas-standard-gauge-railway-the-promise-and-risks-of-rail-megaprojects delays in funding, budget overruns, lack of adequate planning, and poor procurement strategies are some of the obstacles encountered mostly during the road construction project. The Standard Gauge Railway project in Kenya was a typical example, where there were controversies about the cost of the project and the enormous debt incurred by the government of Kenya, while in Nigeria, it halted and exposed deficiencies in administration and contractor oversight. Conversely, Rwanda’s ICT programs showcase the importance of clear vision, skilled teams, and robust oversight in ensuring prompt and high-quality execution of projects. Based on the research from the African Development Bank, which indicates that more than 50% of the infrastructure projects encounter delays or cost overruns.
Listed below are the common causes :
· poor planning.
· Inadequate stakeholder engagement.
· weak governance and accountability structures.
· limited capacity in project management skills. (This article’s main focus).
Global Methodologies, Local Adaptation
Globally, methodologies such as PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge), PRINCE2, and Agile have exhibited competency in producing outcomes. Specifically, in the UK, PRINCE2 and Agile methodologies contributed to the success of the London Olympics 2012 projects by ensuring structured governance, adaptability, effective stakeholder coordination, delivery on time, and within budget.
However, the complete introduction of these methodologies into the African context without enough consideration of the African dynamics might make it cumbersome, if not impossible, to achieve the same result as in the UK.
Political transition played a critical role in project disruption, which can negatively affect the application of PRINCE2. For instance, PRINCE2 methodologies need a long-term approach during their application process, in some cases longer than a one-term political transition. Also, Agile applications might struggle to affect a project positively within the continent, because Agile methodologies’ effectiveness depends on technologically suitable environments, which are not readily available in some parts of Africa.
At this juncture, it is critically important to mention that the essential factor is the integration of a global standard that aligns with local expertise and having tailored content that applies to the continent.
Although the implementation of PMBOK, PRINCE2, and Agile methodologies has a record of facilitating project success in Africa, exemplified by South Africa’s renewable energy initiatives, Rwanda’s digital ID program, and Kenya’s mobile banking systems, it has improved planning, adaptation, stakeholder participation, and risk management.
Capacity Building as a Strategic Imperative
As a continent with the objectives of increasing the rate of successful projects and accelerating the continent’s development, this article suggests that African nations should prioritise a capacity-building strategy and improve project management effectiveness. Moreover, it is essential to encourage project managers to obtain internationally recognised certificates like PMP, PRINCE2, or Agile, depending on a specific area of interest. These skills will equip project practitioners with standard practical knowledge and a framework that conforms to international best practice, simultaneously enhancing best practices and increasing the chances of project success across all sectors. Furthermore, the establishment of a project management office at the institutional level is crucial for creating a standardised process, monitoring performance, and ensuring accountability during the process of project implementation.
Such measures foster transparency, consistency, and efficient allocation of resources.
Additionally, multinational companies and organisations can be a platform for project practitioners to expand their knowledge in the form of inter-organisation cooperation on projects, while for aspiring practitioners, it can be a stage for them to acquire hands-on experience.
Undoubtedly, by integrating the certification programme, institutional frameworks, and cross-border knowledge exchange, Africa can build resilient project management systems and contribute significantly to sustainable economic and social development and increase the rate of successful projects across the continent.
Stakeholder Engagement and Ownership
Africa, as a continent characterised by socio-economic disputes, with a cultural environment that is dynamic in nature, which highly influences development initiatives, in-depth stakeholder involvement is essential. Participations of governments, communities and corporate bodies in all stages of the projects increase the quality of project delivery. Achieving these objectives entails cooperation and effective communication with the community to ensure that the project objectives conform to local needs and reality. More importantly, it is necessary to embody the traditional structure because it possesses symbolic authority in the local community and can influence the decision-making process. Again, applying clear communication strategies that encourage trust, clarity and enhance partnership reduces resistance and improves project sustainability and long-term cooperation with the local.
Governance and Accountability
In any case, putting in place an accountability governance structure is important in order to tackle the existing corruption, mismanagement, and political interference that have been a continuous phenomenon that have been disrupting projects throughout Africa, frequently leading to project delay or sometimes to complete project failure. Establishing a proactive autonomous institution entrusted with the responsibilities of policing project process policy (PPPP) is essential. Equally as important is transparency in reporting; going through the proper routine of updates on budget, milestones, risk identification, and timeline will cultivate confidence among stakeholders and mitigate malpractice at an early stage of the project. In addition, introducing performance-based contracts that tie payments to measurable deliverables enhances accountability and incentivises contractors to meet expectations. On the whole, these measures not only improve project efficiency but also build credibility, improve public trust, and enhance effective allocation of resources for sustainable development outcomes.
Technology as a Game-Changer
The rapid development of advanced technology also has a great impact on project management efficiency, accountability, and collaboration. Due to this modern technology, project managers are equipped with the skills to report real-time issues on ongoing projects and early-stage risk identification, which are only possible by utilising project-related applications such as a project dashboard. For example, in Ghana, during the ICT projects initiatives, digitalisation application was applied to monitor the progress of the project throughout the country. Similarly, in South Africa, during the 2010 FIFA World cup. mobile-based system were used to oversee infrastructure delivery and ensure project stay on plan. These examples showcase the impact of technology as a game-changer in modern project management.
Conclusion
It takes more than policies and sophisticated architectural drawings to realise the development objectives in Africa. It entails discipline, strategy, and clear context-specific project management. Equally relevant to achieving the reality of success are professionalism and skills, acquired through knowledge, by adopting global practices such as PMBOK, PRINCE2, and Agile, while tailoring them to suit the African reality.
Investing in capacity building must not be left out of the process; project managers need to be equipped with relevant skills, Institutions must be strengthened to contribute adequate input, and stakeholders’ involvement at all stages of the project phase to ensure inclusivity and ownership. Leveraging technology for transparency and efficiency, African nations can dramatically improve project outcomes, delivering sustainable development that truly transforms lives.
About the Author
Arthur Charles Brown is a business development consultant with significant experience in facilitating business growth between China, the West, and Africa. He is the founder of a consulting firm in Ghana that focuses on attracting investment into Africa, as well as a research consulting firm that advocates for the application of research in addressing real-world problems globally. Arthur Charles Brown holds a Master of Science degree in Project Management, and he is a member of the Project Management Institute (PMI), Ghana Chapter.