Nigeria's youngest ever chartered accountant reveals she overcame initial failure in ICAN exams to achieve qualification at just 16 years old

Nigeria's youngest chartered accountant, Osasere Okundaye, has made a remarkable revelation, sharing that she faced a setback when she failed one of her final Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria examinations, but ultimately qualified at the tender age of 16.

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Okundaye made this disclosure during a visit to Dr Daniel Olukoya, the General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, on a Saturday, where she recounted her three-year journey to becoming a chartered accountant, which began shortly after completing secondary school.

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She embarked on the Accounting Technicians Scheme programme at the advice of her parents, who encouraged her to start taking the ICAN examinations through ATS instead of waiting until she was old enough for university, and she started this ICAN journey three years ago, after finishing secondary school early.

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Okundaye noted that not having an accounting background made the early stages of the programme particularly challenging, and she said she wasn't an accounting student in secondary school, so the examinations, especially at the first level, proved more difficult for her than for other people at the same level.

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Despite the challenges, Okundaye persevered, and with determination and hard work, she was able to overcome them, saying she had to put in more effort, and with the grace of God, she was able to pass the first level, and ever since then, it has been success after success.

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The Accounting Technicians Scheme is designed to prepare candidates for the chartered accountancy qualification, and Okundaye's journey is a testament to the effectiveness of this programme, which is ICAN's entry-level professional programme.

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Reflecting on one of the biggest setbacks in her journey, Okundaye revealed that she failed one of her final professional papers, but she remained determined and focused on her goal, saying she failed one of her final papers last year, which she had to rewrite earlier this year in May.

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Okundaye's determination paid off, and she passed the examination, enabling her to become a qualified accountant of the institute at the age of 16, and she said to the glory of God, she passed that examination, and now she can say that she is a qualified accountant of the institute at 16 years old.

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Dr Daniel Olukoya reacted to Okundaye's achievement in a post on X on Saturday, describing the feat as evidence of God's faithfulness and the rewards of diligence and discipline, and he wrote that today, they celebrate with one of their own, Osasere Okundaye, as she shares the inspiring testimony of becoming Nigeria's youngest Chartered Accountant at just 16 years old.

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Olukoya added that Okundaye's achievement stands as a powerful testament to God's faithfulness and what can be accomplished through diligence, discipline, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to excellence, and he said this extraordinary achievement is a shining example of what can be achieved through hard work and determination.

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According to the cleric, Okundaye's story demonstrates that age is not a limitation to success, and he said her journey is an inspiration to young people everywhere, proving that with God's grace, determination, and a clear vision, age is never a barrier to greatness.

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The achievement also drew commendation from the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, who described Okundaye as a shining example of the potential of Nigerian youths, and her record-breaking achievement is a testament to the talent and determination of young Nigerians.

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Okundaye earned the record after successfully completing the rigorous ICAN professional examinations, surpassing the previous record set in 2022 by Jonathan Adewale, who qualified as Nigeria's youngest chartered accountant at the age of 17, and she has now taken the top spot as the youngest chartered accountant in Nigeria.