The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) is a statutory body of Accountants established under the Accountants Act CAP 531, with the mandate to develop and regulate the Accountancy Profession in Kenya. The Institute is also a member of the Pan Africa Federation of Accountants (PAFA) and the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the global umbrella body for the accountancy profession.
In line with its mandate under the Accountants Act, ICPAK promotes high standards of professional competence and practice among its members. As a member of IFAC, the Institute supports the adoption and implementation of globally accepted reporting standards and actively contributes to the international standard-setting process through comments on exposure drafts and participation in technical initiatives.
The Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA) has issued an Exposure Draft (ED) on the proposed Common Core Competency Framework (CCCF) for Future-Fit Accountants for Africa, inviting stakeholders to provide comments by 23 August 2026.
The proposed CCCF seeks to establish a minimum benchmark for professional accountancy qualifications across Africa, supporting qualification comparability, mutual recognition, and professional mobility. It aligns with the 2025 International Education Standards (IES) issued by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and the African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF).
OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED CCCF
Structure
The proposed CCCF consists of:
- Section A: Background, Purpose and Context
- Section B: Competency Headings (Professional and Technical)
- Section C: Detailed Learning Outcomes
- Section D: Taxonomy and Construction Principles
Competency Areas
Part A – Professional & Personal Skills (10 Areas)
- Ethics
- Public Interest and Trust
- Professional Judgement and Scepticism
- Decision Making
- Leadership and Teams
- Interpersonal and Communication
- Challenge and Collaboration
- Digital Acumen
- Values and Attitudes
- Commercial Acumen
Part B – Technical Skills (12 Areas)
- Financial Accounting and Performance Reporting
- Management Accounting
- Finance and Financial Management
- Public Financial Management
- Governance, Risk and Internal Control
- Information, Communications and Data Technologies
- Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies
- Economics
- Business Law and Regulation
- Organisational Structure and Strategic Planning
- Assurance
- Audit
- Business Taxation
Taxonomy
The proposed CCCF adopts a ten-level hierarchy:
| Level | Descriptor |
| 1-6 | Knowledge through Evaluation |
| 7 | Strategic Leadership |
| 8 | Innovation and Transformation |
| 9 | Expert Authority |
| 10 | Global Influence & Policy Shaping |
The CCCF is aligned primarily with Level 7 of the African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF), with selected outcomes at Level 8.
SIGNIFICANT MATTERS FOR COMMENT
PAFA particularly seeks feedback on the following matters:
Question 1 – Overall Objective
Do you agree that the proposed CCCF appropriately establishes a minimum benchmark for professional accountancy qualifications in Africa? If not, what revisions would you suggest?
Question 2 – Alignment with International Standards
Do you agree that the proposed CCCF appropriately aligns with the 2025 International Education Standards issued by the International Federation of Accountants?
Are there areas where alignment should be strengthened or clarified?
Question 3 – Taxonomy and Levels
Do you agree with:
- The ten-level taxonomy structure; with the CCCF primarily aligned with levels 7-8?
- The extension beyond traditional Bloom levels to include Strategic Leadership, Innovation, Expert Authority and Global Influence & Policy shaping?
- The alignment to the African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF)? Are the defined verbs sufficiently clear and capable of consistent interpretation across jurisdictions?
Question 4 – Balance of Competencies
Is the balance between Professional Skills (Part A) and Technical Skills (Part B):
- Appropriate?
- Are any critical competencies missing?
Question 5 – Competency for future fit Accountants for Africa
Does the CCCF adequately represent a competency for future fit accountants for Africa? If not, what enhancements would you recommend?
Question 6 – Implementability
Are the learning outcomes: Clearly assessable; measurable; and capable of reliable examination or practical experience verification? What implementation challenges do you foresee, if any?
Question 7 – Unintended Consequences
Could the proposed CCCF:
- Create unintended barriers to entry?
- Increase qualification costs disproportionately?
- Disadvantage smaller PAOs? If so, how could these risks be mitigated?
SUBMISSION
All responses should be submitted to ICPAK by 7th August 2026 through technicalservices@icpak.com for review and consolidation.
The exposure draft can be accessed through the link alongside:
https://pafaafrica.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/IQCiJL65nVuYQYO0fb6VdTA5AVlCNL9wlXkvy5wYSNp0vtM?e=0tWeJu
Additionally, PAFA is inviting accountancy education stakeholders to webinars on the proposed CCCF. The workshops will be held on the following dates:
5 August 2026: 5 Aug CCCF Webinar registration link.
6 August 2026 : 6 Aug CCCF Registration link
For further inquiries on financial reporting, adoption of standards, and other related technical matters please reach out to the Standards & Technical Services Directorate and the Professional Standards Committee of ICPAK at: technicalservices@icpak.com or through ceo@icpak.com
CPA DR. GRACE KAMAU
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
