About Us

The Centre for Management Development (CMD) is a resource institution established in 1973 by the Federal Government of Nigeria as the operational arm of the Nigerian Council for Management Development (NCMD), which has over-all responsibility for the stimulation, promotion and coordination of management education, training and development in Nigeria. The need to establish the NCMD was first recognized at a meeting of the National Manpower Board held on October 20, 1965. The meeting, while deliberating on a report on productivity in industries, observed that the major bottle-neck in the effort to raise productivity was the comparatively low quality of management skills at all levels. The meeting also noted that while a considerable number and variety of facilities for management training were available in the country, lack of effective coordination and the absence of a central source of information led to wastage and unnecessary duplication of courses. The Board then directed its Secretariat to initiate action on the establishment of an organization whose courses reflect in frequency, level and type, the needs of country’s economy and devise means of eliminating unnecessary duplication of management courses.

Following consultations with various providers and users of management training, the then Nigerian Council of Management Education and Training was established in 1968 to coordinate management education and training programmes. However, the informal nature of the Council, lack of adequate support for its operations and the intervention of the civil war vitiated efforts to strengthen and adequately empower the Council.

Notwithstanding this initial setback, the need for well-coordinated management programmes was re-emphasized in 1969 in the International Labour Organization (ILO) Report which observed the lack of coordination in the areas of content and standards for the limited number of training programmes available. Some of the organizations offering programmes either served only their own staff or limited areas/levels of management. None could be considered adequate/satisfactory in terms of coverage, thoroughness, reputation or resources required for effective programme delivery.

The much-needed breakthrough came with the formulation of the Second National Development Plan, (1970-74), which provided the Federal Government the opportunity to reconstitute the Council to enable it to play an effective role in the country’s manpower development. The Government, in addition, decided to set up the Centre for Management Development as the machinery through which the Council would achieve its objectives.

On October 4, 1976, the Federal Government of Nigeria promulgated the Decree No 51. giving legal backing to the existence of the Council and Centre for Management Development which were established as far back as 1973. The law establishing NCMD and CMD as its operational arm was further strengthened in 2022 with an amendment by the Federal Government of Nigeria aimed at providing a more conducive environment for the practice of management training and consultancy in Nigeria. The specific functions of the Nigerian Council for Management Development (NCMD) ACT 2022 (as amended) are spelt out as follows:

to advise the Honourable Minister in charge of National Planning on policies, plans and programmes for the enhancement of number, quality and effective utilization of the managerial manpower resources of the country in all sectors of the economy;
to formulate policies and guidelines for the coordination of management education and training activities throughout the country;
to develop and promote high national standards of management education, entrepreneurial development and supervisory training in line with international standards;
to accredit every Management Consultant, Trainer or Institution Operating within Nigeria;
to accredit every registered Management Training firm or Institution upon the fulfillment of criteria set by the Council;
to keep and maintain a register of all Management Consultants , Management Training Institutions, their training programmes, curriculum, location, standards, duration, type and cost;
to sanction or prohibit any Management Trainer, Consultant or Training Institution for commencing , undertaking, carrying on or engaging in training programmes without accreditation;
to assess periodically, the training programmes and management development training offered by the private and public institutions with a view to determining their competence; and
to perform any other functions as may be necessary to achieve the goal and objectives of the Council.

The functions of CMD as spelt-out in section 15 of the ACT include:

to provide to the Council, information and other technical data necessary for the Council’s policymaking and coordinating functions;
to undertake management development for small and medium enterprises in the country through the provision of relevant training and extension services;
establish and maintain a world class library on management studies;
undertake, commission and participate in in-dept research studies and consultancy services in relevant fields;
publish journals, research papers and books on modern management and supervisory techniques;
promote the development of programmes aimed at improving the performance of private and public enterprises;
provide macro and micro economic training programmes to economic planners, budget and project officers in the public service of the federation or a state;
undertake training programmes and promotion examinations for the employees of the public service of the federation and a state;
in collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps, provide regular trainings in National Youth Service Corps camps;
act as a policy laboratory for vigorous and sustained development and promotion of highly specialised skills required for enhancing efficient and effective planning and management of the Nigerian economy;
undertake the development of executive professional postgraduate programmes and diploma courses for the development of professional managers in the economy;
conduct examinations and grant certificates in areas of management to persons who have pursued a course of study approved by the Council and have satisfied such other requirements as may be prescribed by the Council;
collaborate with similar management training institutions within and outside Nigeria in the execution of its mandate with a view to embracing international standards; and
discharge other duties as may be necessary for the efficient performance of its functions under this ACT.

The Centre for Management Development's Mandates are targeted towards "Promoting Management Excellence"

Policy Making, Promotion and Coordination of Managerial Manpower Development;
Accreditation and Registration of Management Trainers and Training Institutions;
Management Advisory and Consultancy Services;
Reference Library for Management Development;
Executive Postgraduate programme;
Publishing Journals, Research Papers and Books on Modern Management;
Quality Assurance and Benchmarking of Best Practice in Manpower Development;
Conducting promotion examinations for the Public Service; and
Training of NYSC members in camps

VISION STATEMENT

To be a world-class Management Development Institution that sets Standards for Excellence in Management Development and Economic Administration.

MISSION STATEMENT

To Stimulate, Promote and Coordinate Management Development for the Achievement of Management Excellence in Nigeria and beyond.

CMD Core Values -KIPE

Knowledge

Committing to staying at the cutting-edge of knowledge through research, training and professional development as the basis for nurturing the nation’s managerial human resource.

Integrity

Engaging in practices that impact positively on, and maximize value for clients or other stakeholders in an ethical manner.

Professionalism

Reflecting competence and promoting distinctive management standards and best practices in collaboration with management development organizations, trainers and other stakeholders.