Seghosime sets out vision for ICAN’s strategic growth

Queensley Seghosime, the 62nd president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), has outlined a vision centred on deeper member engagement, stronger strategic partnerships and enhanced professional mobility, as she assumes leadership.

Seghosime disclosed a nine-point agenda during her investiture acceptance speech as the 62nd president of ICAN on Tuesday, emphasisng that her administration would focus on initiatives aimed at strengthening the institute’s relevance, expanding opportunities for members and fostering collaborations that support professional growth in an evolving global business environment.

“We will advance member value and welfare. Membership of ICAN must continue to be both prestigious and beneficial. We shall strengthen engagement, partnership, membership, professional mobility, recognition and higher development opportunities for our members.

“We will nurture ethics, integrity and professionalism. Integrity will be the foundation upon which everything expands. We will strengthen ethical compliance, professional discipline, quality assurance and continuous ethics education,” she said.

Besides, she said that her administration will strengthen the ICAN’s accountability index and build an education for young accountants.

“We will reinvent the profession through digital transformation, artificial intelligence, data analytics and emerging technologies and shaping the world, and our members with future-ready competencies, modernise our systems and ensure that ICAN remains at the forefront of innovation,” she noted.

Seghosime emphasised that ICAN is not merely a membership organisation, but a national assets, especially now that Nigeria is standing at a defining moment in the economic history and seeks sustainable growth, fiscal resonance, expanded investment, improved governance, enhanced productivity and greater global growth.

“We’re not spectators in Nigeria’s economic transformation, but participants, partners, contributors, and guardians of a system that creates confidence, attract investment and sustain economic growth.

“ICAN must not merely respond to change, but must lead change,” she said.

Haruna Yahaya, the 61st president and chairman of council in his valedictory address, said the most ambitious initiative of his presidential year was the commencement of the digitisation of ICAN’s examination process, ‘the pride of the institute’.

“We initiated a phased program aimed at introducing secure, technology-driven, proctored online examinations. This strategic reform was designed to improve efficiency, accessibility, transparency, examination security, and candidate experience.

“The implementation framework included conceptual design, stakeholder engagement, risk management architecture, pilot testing, and deployment planning. This initiative marks a historic step toward modernising professional accounting certification process in Nigeria,” he noted.

Yahaya disclosed that as he hands over the reins of leadership to Seghosime, that he is doing so with absolute confidence that the future of ICAN is bright.

“The foundation has been strengthened, and the vision has been clarified. The opportunities before us are immense and the challenges are enormous but the responsibility of preserving the integrity and prestige of ICAN remains paramount. Our possibilities are limitless.

“Our task as custodians of this noble profession remains clear: to uphold its integrity, embrace innovation without compromising our values, pursue excellence without losing sight of our responsibility to society, develop future leaders, and continually position ICAN as a respected institute that contributes meaningfully to national and international development,” he said.

Monday Okpebholo, executive governor of Edo State, congratulated Seghosime on her emergence as the 62nd president of ICAN.

Okpebholo reminded the ICAN 62nd president that the achievement is not only a personal, but a testament to decades of hard work, professional excellence, integrity, perseverance, and service to the accounting profession and our country.

“Today is particularly significant for the people of Edo State because one of our own daughters is assuming leadership of one of the most respected professional institutions in Africa.

“We are proud of her accomplishments and we are confident that she will bring wisdom, courage, and innovation to this important responsibility,” he said.

Adams Oshiomhole, former governor of Edo State, in his goodwill address applauded Seghosime’s competence, integrity, grit, and professionalism.

The Nigerian senator advocated having such a woman as the country’s president considering her professionalism and career track records.

Etofolam Osuji, first deputy vice-president at ICAN, in his vote of thanks, said, “Today, we have witnessed not only the formal inauguration of the 62nd president of our great institute, but also another significant chapter in the continuing story of excellence, professionalism, integrity, and service that has defined ICAN for over six decades.”