Scrum may not be the most common certification in Nigeria, but it rates among the very important ones, especially in the software development industry. The certification validates the earner’s comprehensive understanding of agile approaches and Scrum practices when it comes to software development. This offers candidates stronger ground to stand on when it comes to career prospects and offers bountiful career and promotion opportunities.

In this post, we will take a look at the core details of the Scrum certification, including how much it goes for in Nigeria.

What is the Cost of Scrum Certification in Nigeria Today?

Scrum is a methodology or process that many organizations use for their software development. Like man other professional examinations in its class, the Scrum certification program is mainly divided into four categories and levels. Two of these categories have two examination levels while the remaining two require just one exam each to scale through the level. In total, one is required to complete a total of six examinations, to complete the certification levels. It should be noted that these certification levels vary in prices. Here are the core certification levels.

Professional Scrum Master (PSM): This is the first level of the Scrum certification. The examinations in this level test the candidates understanding of the basics of the Agile methodology and practices when it comes to software development. The candidates will be tested on their knowledge of the Scrum framework and its basic application. The Scrum Master examinations validate that the candidates can apply the Scrum framework when developing software. The certification is divided into two categories – the PSM level I and the PSM Level II. While the PSM Level I is designed as the beginning to intermediate level, the PSM Level II is more advanced and focuses on more technical bit of the certification. The PSM Level I costs $150, which equates to about N57, 500 (with exchange rate of N383.60 per dollar), while the PSM Level II costs $500, which equates to about N192, 000 (with exchange rate of N383.60 per dollar).

Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO): This is the second level of the Scrum certification. The examinations in this level test the candidate’s understanding of the business value the product they are looking o develop brings, how it impacts the overall business, and what it drives in accordance with the methodology of Scrum and Agile practices and processes. Just like in the case of Professional Scrum Master (PSM) certification, the PSPO certification is also divided into two categories – the PSPO level I and the PSPO Level II. While the PSM Level I is designed as the beginning to intermediate level, the PSM Level II is more advanced and focuses on more technical bit of the certification. The PSPO Level I costs $200, which equates to about N76, 700 (with exchange rate of N383.60 per dollar), while the PSPO Level II costs $500, which equates to about N192, 000 (with exchange rate of N383.60 per dollar).

Professional Scrum Developer (PSD): This is the third certification level of the Scrum certification. This certification validates candidates’ understanding of development of complex software using Scrum framework, following the Agile methodology which includes Test-First Development and Continuous Integration. Although the examination is tagged PSD I, there is no level II, as the certification level requires just a single examination to scale through. The examination costs $200, which equates to about N76, 700 (with exchange rate of N383.60 per dollar).

Scaled Professional Scrum (SPS): This is the final stage of the Scrum certification. This certification validates candidates’ understanding on the Nexus framework for product and general software development. They are tested on advanced technical management of software development and how to manage Scrum teams with respect to the Agile methodology. Just like in the case Professional Scrum Developer (PDS), the Scaled Professional Scrum (SPS) certification level requires just a single examination to scale through. The examination costs $250, which equates to about N96, 000 (with exchange rate of N383.60 per dollar).

Scrum Certification Preparation and Training

Scrum examination requires adequate preparation. When it comes to preparation, the very first thing for candidates to do is go through the Scrum Guide. This guide largely defines the Scrum theory and overall concept of the examination. It also highlights the overview of the examination and the basic concept. The guide is also good for people that are not registering for the certification. Since the guide highlights essentials of the methodology of Scrum and Nexus.

Also, there are many institutions that conduct training. There are also many training institutes that organize training courses and cases for candidates to further help them prepare for the examinations. In many cases, thee training institutes provide helpful materials to candidates and organize both online and in-person classes. Many others even setup mock examinations to test the candidates’ readiness for the examination. Some have also settled for online classes and lectures. With internet making a lot of resources available in recent times, many candidates have resolved to register for various online courses and classes to help boost their preparation. Just like in the case of in-person tutorials, some of these online channels also organize mock examinations to test the readiness of candidates subscribed to the channel.

There are also many open assessments online candidates can leverage on. While some of these assessments are paid for, some others are free. The open assessment contains past examination questions candidates can further use to prepare for the exam.