ICSAN CL study guide
ICSAN CL · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The ICSAN Chartered Secretary (CL) Examination is the professional qualification pathway offered by the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria for people who want to practise as chartered secretaries and governance professionals. It suits company secretaries, legal and compliance officers, board support staff, aspiring corporate administrators, and graduates moving into governance, company law, and corporate administration roles. The ICSAN CL study guide has 10 sections and about 3,030 words.
01Company Law and Corporate Governance
Company Law and Corporate Governance tests how Nigerian companies are incorporated, governed and held accountable. CAMA 2020 is the core statute; the Nigerian Code of Corporate Governance (NCCG) 2018, SEC rules and sector codes supply governance expectations.
319 words, about 2 min02Corporate Secretarial Practice
Corporate Secretarial Practice tests the statutory and administrative work of the chartered secretary: registers, CAC filings, meetings, resolutions and board support under CAMA 2020 and the company’s articles. Keep the register of members, directors and secretaries, charges, debenture holders, minutes and beneficial ownership information.
317 words, about 2 min03Financial Accounting and Reporting
Financial Accounting and Reporting tests preparation and interpretation of IFRS-based financial statements and Nigerian reporting compliance. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) of Nigeria endorses IFRS for public-interest entities.
275 words, about 1 min04Management Accounting and Finance
Management Accounting and Finance tests internal decision support: costing, budgeting, variance analysis, working capital and investment appraisal. It rewards numerical discipline and clear assumptions.
299 words, about 1 min05Business Law and Commercial Transactions
Business Law and Commercial Transactions tests the legal framework for contracts, agency, sale of goods, negotiable instruments and business dealings in Nigeria, drawing on common law, statute and case law. Offer, acceptance, consideration, intention to create legal relations and capacity.
312 words, about 2 min06Taxation and Fiscal Policy
Taxation and Fiscal Policy tests Nigerian tax computation and compliance: Companies Income Tax (CITA), Personal Income Tax (PITA), VAT, capital gains, stamp duties and the fiscal incentives that shape business decisions. Nigeria uses a graduated CIT rate: 0% for small companies below the turnover threshold, 20% for medium-sized companies, and 30% for large companies, subject to the Finance Act rules.
314 words, about 2 min07Business Management and Strategy
Business Management and Strategy tests how organisations set direction, analyse their environment, choose competitive positions and implement change. Expect frameworks applied to realistic scenarios, not definitions alone.
291 words, about 1 min08Corporate Administration and Compliance
Corporate Administration and Compliance tests the systems that keep an organisation lawful, ethical and resilient: statutory filings, internal controls, risk registers, data protection and financial crime controls. Compliance framework.
306 words, about 2 min09Professional Ethics and Corporate Responsibility
Professional Ethics and Corporate Responsibility tests the standards expected of chartered secretaries and administrators: integrity, objectivity, competence, confidentiality and professional behaviour, plus corporate responsibility to stakeholders and society. Fundamental principles.
296 words, about 1 min10Information Technology and Digital Governance
Information Technology and Digital Governance tests board-level oversight of IT: strategy alignment, cyber risk, data privacy, digital records and control of outsourced technology. IT governance vs management.
301 words, about 2 min