The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) is a member of International Federation of Accountants (IFAC, 1977), initiator and member of Association of Accountancy Bodies in West Africa (ABWA, 1982), and Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA, 2011). The Institute was established in Nigeria by an Act of Parliament No. 15 in 1965 to (i) determine what standards of knowledge and skill are to be attained by persons seeking to become members of the accountancy profession and to raise those standards from time to time as circumstances may permit; (ii) secure in accordance with the provision of the Act, the establishment and maintenance of the registers of fellows, associates and registered accountants entitled to practise as accountants and auditors and to publish from time to time a list of those persons; and (iii) perform, through the Council of the Institute, all other functions conferred on it by the Act.

In order to extend the recognition and tentacle of the Institute for Asia continent, the members residing and pursuing academic activities in Malaysia deem it fit to establish a District Society of the Institute according to the Bye-Law of Institute’s District Societies. This excellent idea and initiative were conceptualised and brought to light by the Asst. Prof. Dr. Oluwatoyin Muse Johnson Popoola, FCA, CFA of the Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accounting (TISSA-UUM), College of Business, University Utara Malaysia (UUM). His idea was based on the initial effort of Prof Dr. Kabiru Isa Dandago, FNIM, MNES, FCA (a visiting lecturer to UUM, 2012 -2014) who proposed ICAN having a collaboration with UUM.

Prof. Dr. Dandago and Asst. Prof. Dr. Popoola pursued the mission of the collaboration, which led to an ICAN letter of proposal to discuss Memorandum of Understanding on 31 July 2013 and the subsequent visit of the Presidential team of ICAN led by the Vice President, Mr. Chidi Ajaegbu, FCA to UUM. Consequent upon the interaction of the ICAN delegate with Management of the TISSA-UUM, the process of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was agreed upon, and Prof Dr. Dandago and Dr. Popoola were appointed by the Institute as its Representatives and Liaison officers in UUM. The President, Alhaji Kabir Alkali Mohammed, mni, FCIS, CGMA, FCA in his President’s statement at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria 2013 Annual Report and Financial Statements (ARFS, 2013; p.16) reported and confirmed the process of signing an MoU with UUM.

As a complement to the above, Dr Popoola convened a maiden meeting on 6 April 2016 at the Sultanah Bahiyah Library, UUM with the following members in attendance: Dr. Oluwatoyin Muse Johnson Popoola, Mrs. Rachael Oluyemisi Arowolo, Mr. Abdulazeez Adewuyi AbdurRaheem, Mr. Aliu Olanrewaju Atanda, Mr. Oyewumi Hassan Kehinde, Mr. Osazuwa Nosahhare, Mr Odewale Robert Waidi, Mr. Abubakar Umar Farouk, Mr. Usman Bello, Mr. Salau AbdulMalik, Mr Sani Adamu, Mr. Naziru Sulieman, Mr. Adamu Idris Adamu, Mr. Mohammad Adamu, Mr. Lateef Saheed Ademola, Mr. Philip Jehu, Mr. Ishaq Ahmed Mohammed, Mr. Isa Usman Gwoza, and Mrs. Ale Omowunmi Ruth. The rationale behind the formation of the District Society is to harness ICAN members not only in Malaysia but also in the Asia continent. The District also aims at conducting Accounting conferences, workshops, seminars, induction for new members residing in Asia, professional training for ICAN students, and avail the opportunity of ICAN students doing ICAN examination in Malaysia. By the formation process, the District was sponsored by ICAN Canada District Society. In January 2017, the UUM communicated its consent to serve as the Liaison Office of ICAN-Malaysia District Society and the appointment of Dr. Oluwatoyin Muse Johnson Popoola as the Liaison Officer of the District Society, while the establishment of ICAN Malaysia District Society was approved by the Council of ICAN in March 2017 as the first District Society in Asia. The inauguration of the District, under the leadership and chairmanship of Dr Popoola, will come up soon. The District has its office in the Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accounting (TISSA-UUM), College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia.