ETICPA Accredits First 11 Institutions to Deliver National Accounting Technician Programme

#EBR_News Jul 13, 2026

Betegbar Yaregal

The Ethiopian Institute of Certified Public Accountants (ETICPA) has accredited 11 institutions as the country’s first authorized tuition providers for the Accounting Technician Qualification Ethiopia (ATQE), marking a significant step toward expanding Ethiopia’s pipeline of professionally trained accountants.

The accreditation, formalized through agreements signed on Monday, authorizes eight public universities, one private university and two private training providers to deliver ETICPA’s nationally standardized accounting technician programme. The initiative is the institute’s first accreditation exercise since its establishment under Proclamation No. 1372/2025.

According to ETICPA, the programme is designed to address Ethiopia’s shortage of qualified accounting professionals by creating a structured pathway for students to receive professional training before sitting national qualification examinations. The first ATQE examinations are scheduled to take place from July 27 to 30 at examination centres in Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Hawassa and Haramaya, with around 700 candidates expected to sit for the inaugural assessment.

Speaking at the ceremony, ETICPA Acting Director General Fikadu Agonafer said Ethiopia currently has only about 550 certified professional accountants despite growing demand driven by financial sector reforms, the expansion of the Ethiopian Securities Exchange (ESX), new banking institutions and the increasing adoption of international financial reporting standards.

Fikadu said the institute aims to train at least 10,000 professional accountants over the next six to seven years through the ATQE and forthcoming Certified Public Accountant (CPA) programmes. He noted that strengthening Ethiopia’s professional accounting capacity would reduce reliance on foreign expertise while improving financial reporting, auditing quality and corporate governance.

Established as Ethiopia’s statutory professional accountancy body, ETICPA is mandated to regulate, develop and promote the accounting profession through certification, professional education and ethical standards aligned with international best practices. The institute is also preparing to launch its CPA qualification with support from the World Bank and an international professional accountancy organisation.

Speaking on behalf of the accredited institutions, Addis Ababa University President Samuel Kifle said closer collaboration between universities and ETICPA would help modernise accounting education and produce professionals capable of serving both Ethiopia and international markets.

Beakal Ejigu, one of ETICPA’s seven interim administrators, said the accreditation authorises the 11 institutions to deliver the Accounting Technician Qualification Ethiopia (ATQE) curriculum, while ETICPA remains responsible for developing the modules, administering examinations and awarding certification.

Beakal said the institute’s establishment and rollout of the ATQE programme are being supported by the World Bank, the European Union and the Ethiopian government. He noted that Ethiopia currently has only about 550 certified professional accountants, underscoring the urgent need to expand the country’s pool of qualified accounting professionals through the newly accredited tuition providers.

Unity University President Arega Yirdaw added that integrating professional qualifications into higher education would strengthen professional competence and contribute to improving transparency and accountability across the country’s financial system.

The first cohort comprises 11 institutions: eight public universities, one private university and two private training providers.

The eight public universities are Addis Ababa University, Bahir Dar University, Hawassa University, Haramaya University, Jimma University, University of Gondar, Jijiga University and Ethiopian Public Service University. The remaining institutions are Unity University, alongside HST Consulting PLC and iPass Training and Consultancy as the two accredited private training providers.

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