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The short answer
To keep ICAN membership active abroad you need to keep paying the annual subscription and meet the Institute's continuing professional development requirement, reported in October 2026 as at least 40 credit hours a year and 120 over three years, from structured and unstructured activity. ICAN's public pages we could read do not set separate rules for members overseas, so confirm subscription amounts, overseas CPD and district arrangements with the Institute directly.
Chartered accountants trained in Nigeria now work in audit firms, banks and finance teams across the UK, North America, the Gulf and beyond. Many keep ICAN membership alongside a local qualification: for a return home, for Nigerian clients, for the network, or because it is part of their professional identity. Staying in good standing from abroad comes down to two things, subscriptions and CPD, plus records that prove both. This guide sets out what is published and what you need to ask.
The CPD requirement
A guide published by learnsignal on 16 October 2026, citing ICAN's Mandatory Continuing Professional Development page, reports that members must earn:
- a minimum of 40 credit hours in a year; and
- 120 credit hours over a three-year period.
It says both structured and unstructured activity earn credit but gives no minimum split, and it could not confirm the sanctions for falling short. The requirement applies to members whose membership is current. These figures are reported second-hand; check ICAN's own MCPD page or member portal before planning your year.
Using overseas CPD
If you hold another qualification abroad, you probably already log CPD for that body. Whether ICAN accepts the same hours, and how they must be evidenced, is not stated on the pages we could read. Ask the Institute in writing and keep the reply. Until you have an answer, keep a single log that records each activity's date, provider, hours, whether it was structured, and the certificate, so you can report it to either body.
Subscriptions and good standing
ICAN membership runs on an annual subscription. We could not confirm the current amount or the payment channel for members abroad from a public ICAN page, so check your member portal or ask the Institute. Pay before the due date; a lapsed subscription can affect your status, your use of the designation and any certificate of good standing a regulator or employer abroad asks for.
District societies abroad
Members abroad often look for a local ICAN group for events, networking and CPD. We could not confirm a current list of ICAN district societies outside Nigeria from an official page in October 2026, and the CPD guide we read did not cover overseas members. Ask the Institute whether there is a district where you live, which one you should be attached to, and whether its events count towards your CPD hours.
Serving Nigerian clients from abroad
Many members keep ICAN status because they still advise Nigerian businesses on accounts or tax. Two practical points apply when a Nigerian company pays you as a non-resident:
- PwC's summary (reviewed 29 May 2026) gives withholding tax of 10% on professional and consultancy fees paid to non-residents, against 5% for residents.
- The payer should give you a receipt showing the gross fee and the tax deducted, which you need for your own records.
Agree whether your fee is gross or net before you start. See withholding tax on foreign freelancers' fees and invoice fields Nigerian companies ask for; Nigerian-side detail on withholding tax for non-residents is in the Nigeria library.
Records that prove you are in good standing
Employers, regulators and clients abroad sometimes ask for evidence of ICAN membership. Keep these together in one folder: your membership certificate, the receipt for each year's subscription, your CPD log with certificates, and any correspondence with the Institute about overseas CPD. If a regulator abroad asks ICAN directly for a letter of good standing, the Institute will look at the same things, so gaps in subscriptions or CPD are best closed before you apply. Note the date each document was issued; many bodies want evidence less than three or six months old.
If you are thinking of letting membership lapse, ask the Institute first what reinstatement would involve later. Reinstatement rules, arrears and any re-examination are not set out on the public pages we read, and they can make a short saving expensive if you return to practice in Nigeria. A short email to the Institute before you stop paying costs nothing and tells you exactly what you would be giving up.
A checklist for the year
| When | Task |
|---|---|
| Start of year | Confirm the subscription amount and due date; pay it |
| Each quarter | Log CPD hours and save certificates |
| Mid-year | Check you are on track for 40 hours |
| Before year end | Close any gap; check how hours are submitted |
| Any time | Keep your overseas address and employer current with ICAN |
Where Pryme fits
Subscriptions and Nigerian fees are often in naira. A Pryme account opened from any country holds naira alongside USD, GBP and EUR, and Nigerian clients' payments can land in a Pryme Business Account; the Finance agent prepares invoice and reminder drafts for you to approve.
Questions people ask
How many CPD hours does ICAN require?
A learnsignal guide of 16 October 2026, citing ICAN, reports at least 40 credit hours a year and 120 over three years. Confirm on ICAN's MCPD page.
Can I keep ICAN membership if I live abroad?
Yes; nothing we found bars it. Keep paying the subscription and meeting CPD, and keep ICAN informed of your address.
Does overseas CPD count for ICAN?
ICAN's pages we could read do not say. Ask the Institute in writing before relying on it.
How much is ICAN's annual subscription?
We could not confirm the current amount from a public page. Check your member portal.
Sources
- learnsignal: ICAN CPD requirements 2026 (16 Oct 2026, citing ICAN's MCPD page) · accessed Oct 2026
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Nigeria, corporate withholding taxes (reviewed 29 May 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Mondaq (Danol Partners): Overview of the Deduction of Tax at Source (Withholding) Regulations 2024 (16 Oct 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.