NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 6 – Project Management Institute (PMI) has launched a free online course to help entrepreneurs turn business ideas into viable ventures by improving their planning, financial management and delivery skills.
The five-hour course, PMI Foundations: Project Management for Entrepreneurs, targets aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, including founders, side-hustle creators, solopreneurs, community innovators and small business teams.
The course comes as more young Africans turn to entrepreneurship amid a shortage of formal jobs. The African Development Bank estimates that 10 million to 12 million young people enter Africa’s labour market each year, while only about three million formal jobs are created.
For those running businesses in the creator economy, the challenge is not only attracting an audience but turning that attention into a sustainable source of income.
The Africa Creator Economy Report 2.0 found that about six in 10 creators earn less than US$100 a month from their creative work, while around 40 percent consider it part-time work. About 71 percent identified business strategy and management as skills needed to attract investment.
“These findings show why creators need support with the business behind their content,” said George Asamani, Managing Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, PMI.
“A brand deal can bring in revenue, but creators also need to understand what it will cost to deliver. Project management helps them plan that work and use their resources wisely. Those skills matter just as much to someone building a catering business or launching a new product,” he added.
The course focuses on practical issues that entrepreneurs face when starting and running a business.
One of the modules, ‘Know Your Numbers,’ covers financial planning and cash flow. This is particularly relevant to entrepreneurs who may have to pay for services or equipment before receiving payment from a client.
Another module, ‘Organise the Work,’ teaches learners how to break a project into tasks, assign responsibilities and identify activities that depend on one another.
The course also encourages entrepreneurs to test their ideas with potential customers before committing significant resources. This can help someone planning to sell merchandise, organise a paid workshop or launch a new product determine whether there is enough demand.
Other modules cover building visibility and trust, measuring business performance, leading under pressure, building support networks and planning for growth.
For creators, the skills can be applied to projects such as sponsored content, where a campaign may involve receiving a brief, filming, editing and obtaining approval before publication.
The five-hour course is delivered online and allows learners to choose the areas they want to explore. It includes practical templates, reflection exercises, insights from entrepreneurs and AI-supported brainstorming.
No formal business or project management experience is required.
“A growing creator economy needs businesses that can deliver consistently and sustain the people behind them,” Asamani said.
“We want entrepreneurs across sectors to have access to practical skills that help them keep their commitments, work through uncertainty and make informed choices about growth.”
