A Practical African Perspective on
Why Portfolio and Project
Management Matter
ADVISORY ARTICLE
By Dr Colin Darrington Prince
Johannesburg, South Africa
Abstract
Across Africa, organisations are not short of vision. What they often lack is the ability to turn that vision into consistent results. In my experience as a business leader, executive, and project professional, the gap between strategy and delivery remains one of the biggest risks facing African enterprises today.
This paper reflects on the role of portfolio and project management (PPM) as practical tools for aligning projects with organisational purpose. Drawing from real organisational challenges in both the public and private sectors, it explores how aligning projects with organisational purpose improves execution, sharpens decision-making, protects scarce resources, and enables long-term adaptability in a volatile environment.
Keywords: Portfolio Management, Strategic Alignment, Project Governance, Resource Optimisation, Organisational Agility, Innovation
- Introduction
Strategy Is Easy. Execution Is Hard. Over the past three decades, I have worked with organisations across healthcare, ICT, financial services, non-profits, and professional bodies. One pattern repeats itself with uncomfortable regularity. Boards approve sound strategies. Leaders speak convincingly about growth, impact, and transformation. Yet months later, little has changed on the ground.
Why? Because strategy does not fail on paper. It fails in execution. In African organisations, especially where resources are limited, skills are stretched, and external pressures are constant, execution discipline is not a luxury. It is a survival skill. Portfolio and project management, when applied correctly, provide that discipline. Not as bureaucracy, but as a practical way of ensuring that effort, money, and people are focused on what truly matters.
- Why Alignment Matters More Than Ever
Too many projects still begin with good intentions but weak strategic grounding. Someone has an idea. A department feels pressure. Funding becomes available. A project is launched. What is often missing is a simple but critical question: How does this initiative advance our organisational purpose?
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How to cite this article: Prince, C. D. (2026). Aligning Projects with Purpose: A Practical African Perspective on Why Portfolio and Project Management Matter, PM World Journal, Vol. XV, Issue I, January 2026. Available online at https://pmworldjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/pmwj160-Jan2026-Prince-Aligning-Projects-with-Purpose.pdf
About the Author
Dr. Collin Darrington Prince
Johannesburg, South Africa
Dr Colin Darrington Prince is a business and IT executive with more than 35 years of cross-sector experience. He is the Chief Executive Officer of Project Management South Africa (PMSA) and formerly served as COO/CFO of the BLOODSA Foundation NPC, advancing haematology care and research across Africa. As Managing Director of Living Water Business Strategies, he provides strategic leadership and business coaching to SMEs. Dr Prince holds a Master of Commerce in Project Management and a Doctor of Technology in Information Technology, combining academic insight with practical expertise in leadership, governance, and organisational transformation. He can be contacted at ceo@projectmanagement.org.za
