The 2024 East African Economic Outlook reveals significant growth in the agriculture, manufacturing, financial, and infrastructure sectors across Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda.
The outlook further predicts that East African Community (EAC) economies will grow by 5.1% in 2024 and 5.7% in 2025, driven by robust performance in the service, tourism, and transport sectors. Of the world’s 20 fastest-growing economies in 2024, 11 are in Africa, and four of those are in East Africa, according to the African Development Bank.
“These figures demonstrate the size of the opportunity for project professionals. The economic growth and expansion in key sectors indicate a thriving environment ripe for new projects, necessitating skilled project management. There’s never been a better time for us to contribute to the future of Africa,” says Maureen Mbithi Ochang, President of the Project Management Institute (PMI) Kenya Chapter.
“As the region continues to develop and projects become more complex and ambitious, the demand for highly skilled project managers will grow. This will make it exciting for professionals in the field to contribute to and benefit from East Africa’s economic transformation.
The Summit is a crucial forum for project leaders to gain insights, skills, and network to seize the opportunities and contribute to EAC’s growth story.”
The region has ambitious aspirations to transform its economy through various blocs. To advance these efforts, building new capacity has never been more critical as industries are called on to balance business, environmental, and societal obligations.
“We will continue supporting and strengthening the community of project professionals in Africa, fostering an environment where collaboration, knowledge sharing, and skill development can thrive. The PMI GSS Africa provides the right platform for project professionals to gather, grow, and guide Africa, on purpose,” says Asamani.
The 9th edition of the PMI Africa Conference, now rebranded to PMI Global Summit Series Africa (GSS), is set to return to East Africa and will be hosted in Rwanda from November 18-20, 2024, at the Kigali Convention Centre.
PMI, which is committed to advancing the profession to positively impact project success, hosted a successful conference in Nairobi last year, drawing over 750 people from all over the world.
PMI GSS Africa will bring together a diverse assembly of over 60 speakers. Drawn from the Government, private sector, the African diaspora, and emerging young voices, they will create a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and innovation.
Last year’s Summit rallied attendees under the theme “Africa We Want: Together We Can,” highlighting a shared vision for Africa’s future through unity and collective action. This year’s theme, “Africa: On Purpose,” is evolutionary and marks a shift from crystal-gazing Africa’s potential to strategically executing these visions with intentionality.
Inspired by Rwanda President Paul Kagame’s compelling directive, “Enough talk on African transformation; time to act,” the theme for this year’s PMI GSS Africa is deeply motivated by the urgency to shift from deliberation to decisive, purposeful action. This call to action underpins our agenda, driving every conversation and panel toward actionable outcomes that align with our collective vision for the continent.
The theme calls for a deeper understanding of project management’s strategic importance and highlights the crucial role of project leaders in ensuring projects are effective, efficient, and truly transformative.
George Asamani, Managing Director of PMI Sub-Saharan Africa, says, “The transition reflects a maturation of the collective mindset. There is a heightened emphasis on purposeful execution, about moving from vision to action. This year’s theme encourages project managers to embed purpose into every project, ensuring that each initiative contributes meaningfully to the continent’s growth and resilience.”
The theme will manifest through sessions and discussions highlighting the importance of purposeful project management. Attendees will explore aligning projects with the Sustainable Development Goals, integrating social impact considerations into project planning, and utilizing data-driven approaches to achieve strategic outcomes.
“The evolution of the theme, in essence, reflects the growing influence of the profession on Africa’s development,” adds Asamani.
East African Economic Outlook reveals that the EAC is one of Africa’s most integrated regional economic blocs and one of the wealthiest, with a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of over US$312 billion as of 2021.
By Joseph Ng’ang’a
