The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) on Monday, 1 December 2025, inducted 1,261 new members during its 68th Induction Ceremony in Lagos, calling on organisations to move beyond basic employee engagement and instead build workplace cultures grounded in belonging and purpose. The inductees were admitted through the HR Practitioner, Executive, and Professional Examination routes, and are expected to play a significant role in shaping the future of work in Nigeria.
President and Chairman of the Governing Council of CIPM, Mallam Ahmed Ladan Gobir, FCIPM, fnli, said the new members “are not just numbers but possibilities and engines of transformation.” He announced that 474 joined via the HR Practitioner route, 34 through the Executive route, and 753 through the Professional Examination route.
Introducing the theme of the ceremony, “Beyond Engagement to Fulfilment: Building a Culture that Nurtures Belonging and Purpose at Work,” he quoted Khalil Ibrahim: “Work is love made visible.” He explained that while engagement drives task completion, fulfilment gives work deeper meaning. Gobir noted that research indicates only seven in ten employees feel a strong sense of belonging, stressing that closing this gap is essential for improving productivity and employee commitment.
He urged the inductees to cultivate workplace cultures that connect, respect, and empower people, referencing a Japanese proverb that emphasises tending to people’s hearts before their hands. He described HR professionals as the “soul of the organisation,” often functioning as therapists even when it is not formally part of their remit.
Guest speaker Mr. Olukayode O. F. Abe, FCIPM, Chief Consultant at Kingspride Consult Limited, expanded on the distinction between engagement and fulfilment. He said that being physically, emotionally, and intellectually present is vital, but fulfilment is what drives innovation, commitment, and productivity. He highlighted the persistent challenges HR practitioners face, including low engagement levels, employee disconnection, insufficient recognition, limited career growth, and post-pandemic work–life integration issues. He further underscored the importance of leadership development and succession planning, noting that external factors frequently disrupt organisational continuity.
Mr. Abe encouraged HR professionals to promote fulfilment by supporting continuous learning, fostering meaningful relationships, embracing mentorship, and aligning work with personal values. He urged the new members to take mentorship seriously and to create workplaces where employees feel valued, purposeful, and connected.
Delivering the formal charge, Mallam Gobir emphasisedintegrity as the foundation of HR practice, encouraged members to display their CIPM certificates proudly, and warned against counterfeit institutes. He announced that CIPM certification would soon be mandatory for public-sector HR officers, adding that private-sector HR directors had already been notified of the 31 December compliance deadline.
The ceremony also recognised academic excellence, with awards presented to top-performing candidates in the June and September 2025 Examination Diets. Mr. Sangokoya Ebenezer and Mr. Eyo David Moses were named Overall Best Graduating Students and received ₦500,000 each, along with full sponsorship to the 2026 CIPM International Conference. Other awards, including Best Student in Nigerian Labour Law, Best Student in Employment Relations, and Best Student in Advanced Human Resource Management II, carried cash prizes of ₦250,000 and book gifts.
CIPM concluded by reaffirming that the future of work in Nigeria depends on HR professionals who embody empathy, integrity, and purpose. The 1,261 new inductees are now expected to champion these values and help transform workplaces into environments where employees feel respected, valued, and fulfilled.
