In order to facilitate the production of middle level manpower needed by the nation in the development process, ICAN introduced the Accounting Technicians Scheme in 1989. Under the Scheme, about 13,000 Accounting Technicians have been trained and issued the Associate Accounting Technicians' (AAT) certificate which the Federal Ministry of Establishment has certified as the equivalent of the National Diploma of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in the Federal Scheme of Service. The Institute conducts two examinations: the Professional Examinations (PE) and the Accounting Technicians' Scheme (ATS) Examinations. Holders of a Bachelor's degree or Higher National Diploma in any discipline obtained from recognised tertiary institutions and holders of the ICAN AAT qualification are eligible to sit the Institute's Professional Examinations. Candidates for the ATS examinations must have five Ordinary Level credits (including English and Mathematics) obtained at not more than two sittings. ATS examinations are now being conducted under the auspices of ABWA as ATS West Africa (ATSWA) to enhance mobility of middle level manpower within the West African sub region.

The Institute has a strict Code of Conduct and Professional Ethics, the breach of which is sanctioned through a Disciplinary Tribunal assisted by an Investigating Panel. The panel investigates cases of alleged professional misconduct by members and where prima facie cases are established, the matters are referred to the Accountants' Disciplinary Tribunal. The Tribunal has the status of a Federal High Court. Appeals from the tribunal go to the Federal Court of Appeal and, thereafter, the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

The Institute has District Societies for effective coordination of the social and professional activities of members in all the sectors of the economy. Currently, there are 70 District Societies in the 36 States of Nigeria out of which 5 are in Diaspora- UK,USA,Canada,Malaysia & Cameroun and also the Society of Women Accountants of Nigeria (SWAN), which initiates laudable programmes aimed at empowering women in the Accountancy profession. Of these 46 district societies, 44 are in Nigeria while there is one each in the UK and USA.

The Institute established the Accounting Research Foundation in 1989 and charged it with the responsibility of providing grants in support of research into accounting and related fields. In addition, the Institute gives a grant to qualified candidates pursuing doctoral degree in accountancy or related fields in a recognised University.

A Continuing Professional Education programme was introduced in 1986 and subsequently made compulsory for all members in 1996 to ensure their technical competence at all times. The Institute is the first professional body in Africa to have successfully introduced the Mandatory Continuing Professional Education (MCPE) programme for its members.

As a responsible and responsive professional body committed to excellence and in compliance with the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) guidelines on specialisation, the Institute has evolved ways of providing adequate technical support to members by creating six Faculties, namely: Audit, Investigations and Forensic Accounting; Taxation and Fiscal Policy Management; Consultancy and Information Technology; Insolvency and Corporate Re-Engineering; Public Finance Management; and Corporate Finance Management. The Faculties bring together experts committed to the expansion of the frontiers of knowledge in a particular field and cater for the specialized needs of members of the Institute.

The Institute initiated the Students Special Project (SSP) to provide opportunities for indigenes of areas perceived to be educationally disadvantaged by reaching out to the governments and philanthropists in those areas to partner with the Institute to grant scholarships to indigent ICAN students from their localities; provide training facilities to motivate tuition houses to locate in such environments; and partner with accredited tertiary institutions in their localities to enhance the quality of facilities at such institutions. Since the first ICAN Centre was launched in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State and subsequent ones in Kano, Kaduna and Calabar, the response across the nation has been impressive.

As part of its responsiveness to the Nigerian people, the Institute makes representations to the government on annual budgets, rolling plans and other relevant economic issues. It regularly submits memoranda to the government to enhance policy formulation in the country. It also organizes awareness seminars on economic, tax and other accounting-related issues as part of the Institute's proactive efforts to create awareness and raise compliance levels of economic agents to universally accepted standards and statutory regulations.

Major activities of the Institute include: Bi-Annual Examinations; Bi-Annual Inductions into membership; Annual Investiture of the President; Annual Accountants' Conference; Zonal Accountants' Conferences; Annual Dinner & Awards; Bi-Annual Past President's Luncheon; Annual General Meeting; as well as all-year-round MCPE and Seminars.