IT Project Management Practices and Delivery Outcomes in Nigerian Public Sector ICT Projects

IT project failures in the Nigerian public sector impose significant economic and governance costs, yet systematic evidence on the management practices most predictive of successful delivery remains scarce. This study investigates IT project management practices and their association with delivery outcomes across public sector ICT projects in Nigeria. A professional survey methodology was adopted, with structured questionnaires administered to 120 IT project managers and public sector ICT officers in Abuja and Lagos, covering projects completed between 2019 and 2023. Project management maturity was assessed using an adapted PMI PMBOK framework. Delivery outcome was operationalised across cost performance, schedule performance, and stakeholder satisfaction dimensions. Descriptive statistics and Spearman rank correlation were used for analysis. Results indicate that less than 28 percent of surveyed projects achieved all three delivery outcome objectives. Regular stakeholder engagement, documented project change management processes, and deployment of certified project managers showed the strongest positive associations with successful delivery. Inadequate scope definition at project inception and poor vendor management were the most commonly cited failure factors. Projects managed by PMP-certified professionals showed 42 percent higher cost performance index values. The study fills a documented gap in Nigerian public sector ICT project management research and recommends mandatory project management training and certification for all public sector IT officers handling projects above N100 million. A tailored Project Management Capability Framework for Nigerian public sector ICT is proposed.

Keywords: IT project management, public sector, Nigeria, project delivery, PMI PMBOK