For many young Africans chasing a career in accounting, passing professional exams like ICAN, ACCA, or CISA is a dream but it’s not always easy to achieve, especially when life is happening all around you. Between work, family, traffic, and personal responsibilities, finding the time, money, and access to quality tuition often feels out of reach.

That’s the gap IOT Academy Limited (also known as ICAN Online Tutors) set out to close. And in less than five years, the academy has grown from a small online platform into one of the most trusted names in accounting education across Africa.

“We didn’t start out wanting to be the biggest,” says Rilwan Teslim-Layeni, the founder and CEO of IOT Academy. “We just knew people were struggling especially women to access quality learning without turning their lives upside down. So we built something that works for them.”

The academy’s approach is simple but powerful: flexible, exam-focused learning that fits into people’s real lives. Students attend live classes online, watch recorded lessons when convenient, and even study on their phones through the IOT app. It’s this level of convenience and accessibility that has made IOT especially popular among working professionals and women balancing multiple roles.

“For a lot of women, weekend physical classes are just not realistic,” Rilwan explains. “You have kids, work, home responsibilities… and somehow you’re still expected to show up and study like a full-time student? That’s where we come in to make professional learning possible without asking people to sacrifice everything.”

One of those women is Amaka, a 34-year-old HR officer and mother of two in Lagos. “I had attempted ICAN twice and failed. I thought maybe it wasn’t for me,” she says. “But then I discovered IOT post-pandemic. I could learn at night after my kids slept, and the tutors made the content so easy to understand. I passed all three stages in one and half years. I cried when I got my final result.”

Stories like Amaka’s aren’t rare. Thousands of students across the world notably in Cameroon and the United Kingdom have shared their testimonials, too. But Rilwan and his team aren’t stopping at professional exams.

“Certifications open doors, yes,” he says. “But what happens after that? The world is changing. Employers now want more than just a certificate. They want people who can work with data, understand tech tools, and solve real business problems.”

That’s why IOT is now expanding into practical skill-building courses not just for students, but also for alumni who want to stay competitive. From Microsoft Excel and QuickBooks to Data Analytics and Business Analysis, the academy is rolling out programs that reflect the new realities of the modern finance world.

“We’re building a complete learning experience,” Rilwan says. “Not just to help people pass exams, but to help them grow in their careers. Whether you’re applying for jobs, aiming for a promotion, or even starting a consulting business, you need more than technical knowledge you need digital skills.”

Even with this expansion, the heart of IOT’s mission remains the same: making professional education accessible, affordable, and empowering. And for many students, that’s exactly what the platform has done.

“I used to feel like my dreams were too big for my situation,” says Lilian, a 27-year-old from Port Harcourt who’s now working as an auditor. “But IOT showed me that learning doesn’t have to be out of reach. They met me where I was and now, I’m living the career I once thought I could never have.”

As Africa continues to push forward in tech, finance, and entrepreneurship, platforms like IOT Academy are proving that the future of learning doesn’t have to look like the past. It can be flexible. It can be inclusive. And more importantly, it can work for everyone.

“We want our students to succeed beyond the classroom,” Rilwan says with a smile. “We want them to win in life, in their careers, and in the world.”