ICAN Exam Timetable and Diet Dates (May and November)
ICAN holds its professional examinations twice a year — a May diet and a November diet — over three straight days, Tuesday to Thursday, usually in the third week of the month. The most recent sittings ran 18–20 November 2025 and 19–21 May 2026. ICAN had still not dated the November 2026 diet as of 22 August 2026 (we re-checked icanig.org that day). If the usual Tuesday-to-Thursday, third-week pattern holds, that points to 17–19 November 2026, with the official advert and timetable due on icanig.org any week now.
The exam diets are part of the wider path to becoming a chartered accountant in Nigeria.
ICAN examination diets at a glance
| Diet | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| November 2025 | Tue–Thu, 18–20 November 2025 | Held |
| May 2026 | Tue–Thu, 19–21 May 2026 | Held |
| November 2026 | Expected 17–19 November if the usual pattern holds (not yet confirmed) | Not yet announced |
Two diets a year is the fixed rhythm. The exact dates shift slightly, but the pattern — three consecutive weekdays, Tuesday to Thursday — has held for years. ICAN announces each diet in a formal advert and timetable on its website, typically about three months ahead.
ATSWA September 2026 diet (Accounting Technicians)
The technicians exam runs on a separate calendar. ICAN has announced the ATSWA September 2026 diet for Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 September 2026 — the first sitting under the new ATSWA syllabus effective September 2026 (official advert PDF). Preparing for it? Start with our ATSWA study packs.
The ICAN exam timetable structure
All three levels — Foundation, Skills and Professional — sit on the same three days, in fixed morning and afternoon sessions. The table below shows the running order from the November 2025 diet, which mirrors the structure used each diet:
| Day | Session | Foundation | Skills | Professional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 9:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | Financial Accounting | Financial Reporting | Strategic Business Reporting |
| 1:45 – 5:00 p.m. | Management Accounting | Taxation | Advanced Taxation | |
| Wednesday | 9:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | — | Performance Management | Strategic Financial Management |
| 1:45 – 5:00 p.m. | Business Environment | Audit, Assurance & Forensic | Advanced Audit & Assurance | |
| Thursday | 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | — | Public Sector Accounting & Finance* | Case Study (4 hours) |
| 1:45 – 5:00 p.m. | Corporate & Business Law | Financial Management | — |
That is 15 papers across three levels — four at Foundation, six at Skills, five at Professional. The Case Study at Professional level is the only four-hour paper; every other paper runs about three hours. (*Public Sector Accounting & Finance sits in a late-morning session on the Thursday.)
Registration windows and deadlines
Registration for each diet opens months in advance and closes several weeks before the exams. Miss the deadline and you wait for the next diet — there is no late window. The practical sequence is:
- Diet advert and timetable published on icanig.org, roughly three months out.
- Exam registration opens on the student portal, icanportal.org.
- Registration closes — commonly a few weeks before the first exam day. Pay and confirm early.
- Dockets / examination numbers released on the portal a few days before the diet. For May 2026, exam numbers were posted on 17 May, two days before the first paper.
You must be a registered ICAN student with subscriptions up to date before you can register for a diet. If you have not enrolled yet, start with our ICAN registration guide.
Fees
ICAN charges a per-paper examination fee on top of one-time registration and an annual student subscription. Published figures vary by source and are revised periodically, so treat any amount you see as indicative and confirm the current schedule on the portal before paying. As of June 2026, the per-paper exam fee was commonly cited at around ₦7,000, but the authoritative figures sit behind your login at icanportal.org.
After the exam: results and Pathfinders
ICAN releases results several weeks after each diet. You can check your ICAN result on the portal once they are out. To prepare for the next diet, work through past questions and suggested solutions — every diet’s ICAN Pathfinder is free to download here.
Prefer a ready-made revision page for a specific sitting? Each diet page below bundles the Foundation, Skills and Professional downloads with that diet’s dates and subjects:
- May 2026 Pathfinder — latest diet
- November 2025 Pathfinder — first new-syllabus diet
- May 2025 Pathfinder — last old-syllabus diet
- November 2024 Pathfinder
- May 2024 Pathfinder
- November 2023 Pathfinder
- May 2023 Pathfinder
- November 2022 Pathfinder
- May 2022 Pathfinder
Older diets (2014–2021)
Earlier syllabus eras — still free, still complete with suggested solutions:
- November 2021 · May 2021 · November 2020 · March/July 2020 · November 2019
- May 2019 · November 2018 · May 2018 · November 2017 · May 2017
- November 2016 · May 2016 · November 2015 · May 2015 · November 2014
All past questions in one place: ICAN past questions and answers (2011–2026) — every diet above plus the four-tier 2011–2014 sittings: Nov 2011 · May 2012 · Nov 2012 · May 2013 · Nov 2013 · May 2014.
Frequently asked questions
How many times a year does ICAN hold exams?
Twice — a May diet and a November diet, each running Tuesday to Thursday, usually in the third week of the month.
What are the ICAN November 2026 exam dates?
ICAN had not published the November 2026 timetable as of 22 August 2026. Going by recent diets, expect Tuesday to Thursday in the third week of November — 17–19 November 2026 if the pattern holds; the diet advert normally lands on icanig.org around August or September, so check back shortly.
How long is each ICAN paper?
Most papers run about three hours. The Professional-level Case Study is the exception at four hours.
When does ICAN exam registration close?
Registration closes several weeks before the first exam day, with no late window. Dockets and exam numbers appear on the portal a few days before the diet.
Can I sit papers from two levels in the same diet?
You sit the papers you have registered and are eligible for, following the fixed timetable. Because all three levels run across the same three days, some sessions overlap — plan your registration around the published schedule.
Related guides: ICAN registration · Students’ regulations & syllabus · Check your ICAN result · ICAN Skills syllabus · ICAN study packs