Institute of Chartered Accountants

What Institute of Chartered Accountants does

The Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG) is Ghana's sole statutory regulatory body for the accountancy profession, operating under the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana Act 2020 (Act 1058). Founded in 1963 by presidential assent, ICAG trains, certifies, and licenses Chartered Accountants and accounting technicians through two principal programmes: the CA Professional Programme (a three-level qualification culminating in the 'CA' designation, with examinations held three times annually) and the ATSWA (Accounting Technician Scheme West Africa), a regional technician programme operated in conjunction with ABWA. The Institute also offers a Professional Diploma portfolio across seven specialisations (Forensic Audit, Oil & Gas Accounting, Corporate Finance Management, Treasury and Risk Management, International Auditing & Governance, Public Sector Accounting, and Legal Accountancy & Finance), and administers an Authorised Training Employer scheme for practical training and a Partners in Learning scheme grading tuition providers.

ICAG operates a portfolio of digital platforms supporting student registration, examination administration, and member services. These include the Student Management System (sms.icagh.org) for student lifecycle management, the Results Checker portal (resultchecker.icagh.org), the ICAG e-Library Platform (elibrary.icagh.org) housing approximately 1,800 titles, the Member Portal, and the ICAG SMS mobile application. ICAspace, an open-source software, manages public lecture and publication repositories. Physical infrastructure comprises the East Legon headquarters (Accountancy House, Okponglo), the ICAG College training facility, and 11 regional offices with 10+ examination centres across Ghana, providing nationwide coverage.

The Institute's revenue model rests on recurring student registration and subscription fees (GH¢400 for CA registration and annual subscription), examination fees tiered by programme level, member subscriptions (Fellow GH¢1,900, Full Member GH¢1,380, Associate GH¢1,093 annually), firm licensing across six categories (A1: GH¢110,000 down to D: GH¢6,160), practising licences, and CPD/Professional Diploma programme fees offered in-person and virtually. ICAG also generates revenue through continuing professional development courses (GH¢580-1,750), publications, and technical papers. The Institute is governed by an 11-member Council (4 government-appointed, 7 elected) and maintains international affiliations with IFAC, PAFA, and ABWA.

Name

Institute of Chartered Accountants

Legal name

Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana

Website

https://icagh.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG) is the sole statutory regulator of Ghana's accountancy profession under Act 1058. It trains, certifies, and licenses Chartered Accountants and technicians through the CA Professional Programme, ATSWA scheme, faculty systems, and 11 regional offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Accountancy Certification and Regulation

NAICS

Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (926150), Public Administration (92)

akta.pro primary industry

National/State Examination Boards & Testing Agencies (EDADAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Finance, Accounting & Risk (CFA/CPA/FRM) Certifications (EDAAANAD), National/Institutional Accreditors (Career, Faith-Based, Distance, etc.) (EDADACAB), Accounting & Finance Certification Prep (CPA, CMA, CFA, FRM) (EDANAIAD)

Keywords

• Professional accountancy certification
• Chartered accountant training
• Accountancy regulatory body
• Continuing professional development
• Accountancy examination services

Headquarters

HQ city

Accra

HQ country

Ghana

HQ region

Africa

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Student Registration and Subscription Fees: ICAG charges registration fees (GH¢400 for CA, GH¢100 for ATSWA) and annual subscriptions (GH¢400 for CA, GH¢120 for ATSWA) to students. This forms the primary recurring revenue stream from the student pipeline.
2. Examination Fees: Revenue generated from examination sittings across three levels for CA (ranging from GH¢511-4,181 depending on papers and level) and ATSWA programmes (GH¢131-182 per paper). Examinations are held three times annually for CA and twice for ATSWA.
3. Professional Services and Licensing: Revenue from issuing practising licences (Audit: GH¢1,320, Non-Audit: GH¢500), licence orientation (GH¢10,300), and firm licensing categorised A1 through D (ranging from GH¢6,160 to GH¢110,000). Membership application fees for full members (GH¢6,130), associates (GH¢3,188), and ATSWA (GH¢500).
4. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and Training: Revenue from CPD courses (GH¢1,750 in-person, GH¢580 virtual), Professional Diploma programmes (GH¢8,900 in-person, GH¢7,700 virtual), and Certificate Programs (GH¢4,000 in-person, GH¢3,200 virtual). Training calendar includes both scheduled courses and tailor-made packages for corporate entities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ICAG is Ghana's statutory regulator and awarding body for the chartered accountancy profession. It delivers the CA Professional Programme (three levels leading to the CA designation), the ATSWA technician qualification, a Professional Diploma suite of specialist courses, in-person tuition through ICAG College, firm licensing and Quality Assurance Monitoring, practising licences for members, CPD programmes, and an electronic library of about 1,800 titles. Its mandate is set out in the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana Act, 2020 (Act 1058).

Product overview

The Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG) offers a portfolio of professional accountancy programmes and services. The core offerings include the CA Professional Programme (a three-level chartered accountancy qualification) and the ATSWA Programme (Accounting Technician Scheme West Africa). Supporting these are the ICAG Professional Diploma for specialized fields, the ICAG College for in-person/virtual tuition, and the ICAG e-Library Platform for digital resources. Member and student engagement is facilitated through dedicated portals (Student SMS Portal and Member Portal), while the ICAG Faculty System, Authorised Training Employer (ATE) Scheme, and Partners in Learning Scheme provide structured continuing professional development and training quality assurance. Examination services include online results checking, with Quality Assurance Monitoring overseeing firm registration and practice standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CA Professional Programme
• ATSWA Programme (Accounting Technician Scheme West Africa)
• ICAG Professional Diploma
• ICAG College
• ICAG e-Library Platform
• Student Portal (Student Management System)
• Member Portal
• Examination Results Checker
• Firm Licensing and Quality Assurance Monitoring
• ICAG Faculty System
• Publications and Research

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 candidates typically pass per examination sitting
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants England and Wales)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018ICAEW collaborated with ICAG to develop the Authorised Training Employer (ATE) scheme, modelled on ICAEW's acclaimed scheme. ICAG also receives support from ICAEW for improving the ICAG qualification. The institute maintains library copies of ICAEW Study Manuals and Question Banks.
• Authorised Training Employers (ATE)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2018Accredited employers offering training contracts to ICAG students as part of the practical experience requirement. Pilot scheme launched January 2018 with full rollout from January 2019. Only students registered with ATEs can qualify as ICAG members.
• Partners in Learning Tuition ProvidersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2017Training organisations registered under the Partners in Learning scheme to deliver preparatory tuition for ICAG programmes. Scheme introduced in stages starting January 2017, with grading system (Bronze, Silver, Gold) introduced from 2018. Approximately 40+ tuition providers registered across Ghana.
• International Federation of Accountants (IFAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFAC is the worldwide association of accountancy professions with headquarters in New York, USA. ICAG is a member of IFAC, which sets international standards and provides guidance for the accounting profession globally. ICAG's ATE scheme was developed with support from IFAC.
• Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPAFA is the continental federation of accountancy bodies in Africa, headquartered in South Africa. ICAG is a member, providing continental connectivity and representation for Ghanaian accountants.
• Association of Accountancy Bodies in West Africa (ABWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABWA is the sub-regional grouping of accountancy bodies in West Africa. ICAG collaborates with ABWA to run the Accounting Technician Scheme West Africa (ATSWA). Member countries include Ghana, Nigeria, The Gambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Togo, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, and Cameroon.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants): CIMA is a global professional body for management accountants offering an alternative qualification track to chartered accountancy. It competes for the same aspiring accountant pool in Ghana and West Africa, and structures membership, examinations, and CPD in highly parallel ways.
• AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants): AICPA is the US national CPA body with regulatory oversight of CPA qualifications and CPA firm licensing through state boards. While structurally different (US state boards regulate rather than one national body), AICPA's CPA examination and CPD franchise model is directly comparable to ICAG's CA programme and licensing regime.
• ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants): ACCA is a global accountancy body whose qualifications compete with ICAEW/ICAG-style chartered routes, particularly in West Africa. While ACCA operates as a global commercial body rather than a national statutory regulator, it is highly comparable in product (multi-level professional examinations, membership designation) and target market.

Direct peers

• ICAP (Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan): ICAP is Pakistan's statutory chartered accountancy body and an IFAC member. Like ICAG, ICAP operates a multi-level CA qualification, regulates practising accountants, and offers structured CPD — a comparable emerging-market peer with a similar statutory mandate and member-driven governance structure.
• SAICA (South African Institute of Chartered Accountants): SAICA is the statutory chartered accountancy body for South Africa and a PAFA member alongside ICAG. It operates a comparable CA qualification, examination structure, and regulatory mandate — the leading African peer for benchmarking qualification design and member services.
• Institute of Chartered Accountants of Zimbabwe (ICAZ): ICAZ is the statutory chartered accountancy body for Zimbabwe and a PAFA co-member. Like ICAG, it runs CA examinations, regulates audit firms, and offers CPD programmes — a peer for cross-jurisdictional comparison of African professional regulatory models.
• ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants England and Wales): ICAEW is the direct chartered accountancy body ICAG was historically affiliated with before gaining autonomy in 1978. ICAEW actively collaborates with ICAG on the ATE scheme (modelled on ICAEW's own) and study materials, making it the most relevant comparable as a peer-ancestor with identical qualification structures.
• ICAN (Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria): ICAN is the Nigerian chartered accountancy body and co-member of ABWA and PAFA alongside ICAG. Both operate the same statutory regulatory model for accountants, share the ATSWA programme under ABWA, and serve as comparable West African professional qualification authorities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/icagh1
• Facebookfacebook.com/Icagh1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/icagh3

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institute of Chartered Accountants