Chartered Accountants Ask For Sustained Accountability For Economic Growth
Speakers came to agreement that Nigeria’s central challenge is the ability to execute reforms credibly.
In order to excel with the current execution of the nation’s economic reforms agenda, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has called on the federal, state and local governments to embrace sustained accountability, transparency, and integrity.
The call was made during ICAN’s 2026 Economic Outlook Conference, titled “ICAN@60: Accountability as the Bedrock of National Development,” as part of the one-year activities marking ICAN’s 60th anniversary.
Speaking at the event, the ICAN President and Chairman of Council, Mallam Haruna Yahaya, described the outlook as a deliberate national moment where professional insight must translate into responsibility and measurable outcomes.
He noted that while Nigeria recorded signs of economic stabilisation in 2025, including improved GDP growth, moderating inflation, and stronger external buffers, these gains remain fragile and can only be sustained through transparency, institutional discipline, and accountability.
The programme featured a keynote address, a high-level panel session, and interactive discussions from policy makers in both the public and private sectors. It had a vivid focus on reforms execution and governance, reinforcing ICAN’s role in advancing credible economic dialogue and accountability-driven national development as the Institute marks six decades of service to the nation.
Panel discussions at the 2026 ICAN Economic Outlook centred on accountability as the critical link between reform and results, with a strong focus on tax reform, institutional credibility, and execution discipline.
Delivering the keynote address, Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, explained that national development extends beyond GDP growth to include improved living standards, strong institutions, and inclusive infrastructure. He clarified key elements of Nigeria’s tax reforms, addressing widespread misinformation and emphasising that the reforms are designed to reduce tax burdens rather than introduce new ones.
In his remarks as chairman of the Session, Alhaji Mohammed Hayatu Deen underscored the importance of credible economic governance and sustained reform execution, particularly in a period marked by heightened fiscal and political pressures.
In conclusion, the very expertise and erudite speakers and panellists agreed that Nigeria’s central challenge is no longer a shortage of idea generation, but the ability to execute reforms credibly, consistently with simplified accountability, transparency, integrity, public trust and discipline to realise the economic advancement dreams for Nigeria. They jointly appealed to the governments to adhere to their findings for a better economic impact for Nigeria.
