Did you know?

In Nigeria, ACCA members cannot legally sign external audit opinions.

These are the things to think about when deciding between ICAN and ACCA.

I get many questions about which to choose among young accountants, and I honestly cannot say one is better.

The Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria says that only members of ICAN and ANAN are "professional accountants." This is because of the FRCN Act of 2011. I know ACCA is working hard to change this.

If financing is an issue, ICAN would be a better choice because ACCA's costs are in sterling pounds. This applies to membership subscription fees as well as exam fees. Due to exchange rates, ACCA fees can be up to six times higher than ICAN.

Despite this, ACCA is still popular among many students because of its "Japalistic" potential. Because ACCA is accepted in 180 countries worldwide, you will not have to start from scratch if you find yourself in one of these nations. ICAN does have reciprocity arrangements with a few other national bodies as well.

The ACCA qualification is equivalent to a master’s degree in the United Kingdom.

Some argue that the ACCA curriculum is more comprehensive than ICAN. While this may appear true, ICAN's curriculum is not for the faint of heart. The training and content are of the highest international calibre.

The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) includes both ICAN and ACCA.

Overall, you will be OK whether you choose ICAN or ACCA.

PS: ANAN is great as well; I don’t know much from personal experience, but from research, it is quite useful, especially in the public sector.

Ajibola Jinadu