Why African projects miss deadlines-report

Medical Services PS Dr. Ouma Oluga inspected the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital on April 24, 2026. [Courtesy]

Projects in Sub-Saharan Africa are more likely to miss delivery deadlines than those elsewhere in the world as organisations struggle to manage growing complexity, new research shows.

A report by the Project Management Institute (PMI) found that 44 per cent of project professionals in the region reported missed delivery deadlines, compared with a global average of 35 per cent.

Delays in stakeholder decision-making also emerged as a key constraint, with 41 per cent of respondents in Sub-Saharan Africa citing bottlenecks compared with 34 per cent globally.

The findings come as African countries push ahead with large-scale investments in infrastructure, digital transformation, energy access, industrialisation and public-sector reform.

"These findings reflect the realities many organisations across Africa are already facing," said George Asamani, Managing Director of PMI Sub-Saharan Africa.

"Africa is currently undertaking some of the world's most ambitious transformation agendas, from infrastructure and industrialisation to digital inclusion, energy access, fintech innovation and public-sector reform. But as the scale of ambition grows, so does the complexity behind execution," Asamani noted.

The PMI report, based on responses from project professionals and senior leaders across 35 countries, found that 81 per cent of respondents globally believe projects have become more complex in recent years.

About 37 per cent described the increase as substantial.

The study attributes rising complexity to organisational, environmental and human factors.

Organisational challenges include unclear governance structures, siloed teams and competing priorities that slow coordination.

Environmental pressures stem from artificial intelligence adoption, regulatory shifts, geopolitical tensions and economic volatility.

Human complexity relates to workplace dynamics, competing incentives and relationship pressures that influence how decisions are made and how teams perform.

About 23 per cent of respondents in Sub-Saharan Africa reported declining team morale linked to project complexity, compared with 19 per cent globally.

"As organisations attempt to deliver more projects faster, many are discovering that traditional approaches focused purely on timelines and tasks are no longer enough," Asamani explained.

"Success today depends on the ability to navigate interconnected systems, align stakeholders quickly, adapt to change continuously and build resilient teams capable of operating in uncertainty," he added.

Despite these challenges, PMI found that organisations that manage complexity effectively are five times more likely to deliver successful projects.

Globally, projects handled effectively in complex environments recorded an 88 per cent success rate, compared with 14 per cent where complexity was poorly managed.