The Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria (CIFCFIN) has filed a lawsuit against the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) over its forensic accounting certification programme. CIFCFIN is seeking a court order to stop ICAN from running the programme and awarding the Certified Forensic Accountant of Nigeria (CFAN) designation. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1559/2026, was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja. CIFCFIN argues that ICAN lacks the statutory authority to conduct forensic accounting certification programmes.
According to CIFCFIN, ICAN's forensic accounting certification programme encroaches on functions assigned to it by its enabling legislation, the Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria (Establishment) Act No. 45 of 2022. The institute contends that the 2022 Act gives it the mandate to educate, train and certify practitioners in forensics and fraud investigation, including the award of professional designations such as Chartered Certified Forensic Accountant (CCrFA). CIFCFIN argues that ICAN's CFAN programme creates a parallel certification in the same professional space.
The dispute arose from an ICAN forensic accounting certification programme advertised on its official faculty webpage for chartered accountants, compliance managers, bankers, investment analysts, auditors and personnel of anti-corruption agencies. A seven-day edition of the programme was held between June 8 and 16, 2026, while another edition is scheduled for November 30 to December 8. CIFCFIN had previously raised the issue with the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria, asking that ICAN be "properly advised to operate within its statutory mandates."
CIFCFIN's Head of Legal/Corporate Services, Mohammed Arafat, swore to an affidavit stating that the competing designations could create confusion among members of the public, employers, regulators, law enforcement agencies and government institutions over the qualifications required to practise as forensic accountants. CIFCFIN is seeking a declaration that ICAN lacks the statutory authority to conduct forensic accounting certification programmes and to nullify the CFAN qualification already awarded by ICAN.
Among the 10 reliefs sought by CIFCFIN is a declaration that the ICAN Act does not empower the accountancy institute to conduct forensic accounting certification of any kind. CIFCFIN is also asking the court to order ICAN to withdraw publications or gazette notices claiming authority to certify forensic accountants and to permanently restrain the institute from issuing or recognising the CFAN designation. The institute is further seeking the costs of the action.
The originating summons was filed on behalf of CIFCFIN by a legal team led by Shaibu Enejoh Aruwa, SAN, of S. E. Aruwa, SAN & Co. ICAN's address for service is listed as its Akintola Williams House office on Michael Okpara Way, Wuse, Abuja. Court documents indicate that ICAN's Abuja liaison office received the court process on August 19, 2026.
The case places two statutory professional bodies on opposite sides of a dispute over the authority to certify practitioners in forensic accounting. The court will now be asked to determine whether ICAN's statutory mandate extends to the forensic accounting certification programme challenged by CIFCFIN and whether the CFAN designation can validly be awarded.
Key points
- CIFCFIN sues ICAN over forensic accountant certification programme
- ICAN's programme encroaches on CIFCFIN's functions
- Court to determine ICAN's statutory mandate in forensic accounting certification
