Impact of Project Manager Gender on Team Cohesion and Project Outcomes in Nigerian Consulting Firms in Abuja

Gender diversity in project management leadership is receiving growing attention globally, with emerging evidence suggesting that gender influences leadership approaches, team dynamics, and project outcomes. This study examines the impact of project manager gender on team cohesion and project outcomes in consulting firms in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, North Central Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey will recruit 180 project team members and clients from 20 consulting firms across management, engineering, and IT sectors. A structured questionnaire will assess team cohesion scores and project outcome perceptions under male and female project manager leadership, controlling for project type, firm size, and manager experience. The Team Cohesion Questionnaire (TCQ) and a project outcomes rating scale will be the primary instruments. Independent t-tests and ANCOVA will compare outcomes by manager gender. Nigerian consulting sector literature reflects persistent gender disparities in project leadership roles, making this study timely and practically relevant. Findings will support diversity and inclusion policy development in Abuja-based consulting firms. Keywords: project manager gender, team cohesion, consulting firms, Abuja, gender diversity