What is the CISA certification?
CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor) is awarded by ISACA. It is the world benchmark for professionals in information systems audit, control and security. It attests the ability to assess systems, identify vulnerabilities and ensure compliance.
In a market where cybersecurity and IS governance are rising, CISA is a strong signal, highly sought after by audit firms, banks and large organisations.
Who is the CISA for?
The CISA is for professionals who assess or control information systems.
- Internal and external IS auditors
- Security / compliance leads and analysts
- IS governance and risk consultants
- IT professionals moving into audit and control
Exam and experience requirement
How the CISA works is specific, and worth understanding: you can sit the exam with no prior experience, but earning the CISA title requires, in addition to passing the exam, verified professional experience in IS audit, control or security (with possible waivers for part of it). In other words, you can pass the exam first and validate the experience afterwards.
The precise experience and waiver rules are set by ISACA, which remains the authoritative source.
The CISA exam
The CISA exam has 150 questions to complete in 4 hours, organised around the IS audit domains. Important: unlike PMI certifications, the CISA exam is not delivered through Pearson VUE but through the PSI network, chosen by ISACA. It is therefore taken online with proctoring, or at a PSI centre.
Once the title is earned, it is maintained through continuing education hours (CPE) and an annual ISACA fee.
How much does the CISA cost?
The cost splits in two: the preparation training and the exam fee paid to ISACA. The Atypix training price:
| Senegal | F CFA 1,758,200 |
| Benin | F CFA 1,406,560 |
Price of the training and support. The examination fee paid to PMI is invoiced separately.
How to prepare with Atypix
The CISA is demanding: its exam covers a broad scope and requires method. Atypix prepares candidates with structured support, bilingual French / English, in person in Dakar and Cotonou or remotely. As the exam is taken online or at a PSI centre, there is no travel constraint tied to a specific centre.
The CISA is one of the most in-demand assets in our catalogue: in the region, demand for IS audit and security far exceeds the supply of certified profiles.
- Structured preparation across all IS audit domains
- Bilingual French / English training, in person in Dakar and Cotonou or remotely
- Exam online or at a PSI centre (network chosen by ISACA)
- Support in building your experience file
Upcoming sessions
No session scheduled right now. Contact us for the next dates.
See the course and enrolFrequently asked questions
- Can I take the CISA without experience?
- You can sit the exam with no prior experience. However, earning the CISA title requires, in addition to passing the exam, verified professional experience in IS audit, control or security, with possible waivers for part of it. So you can pass the exam first and validate the experience afterwards.
- Is the CISA exam taken at the Dakar Pearson VUE centre?
- No. Unlike PMI certifications, ISACA delivers the CISA exam through the PSI network, not Pearson VUE. The exam is taken online with proctoring, or at a PSI centre. Preparation itself takes place with Atypix in Dakar, Cotonou or remotely.
- How many questions are in the CISA exam?
- The exam has 150 questions to complete in 4 hours, across the information systems audit domains.
- Is the CISA recognised in Africa and internationally?
- Yes, widely. The CISA is the world benchmark in IS audit, highly sought after by audit firms, banks and large organisations, including in Senegal, Benin and across French-speaking Africa.
- Do I need to maintain the CISA?
- Yes. Once earned, the CISA is maintained through continuing education hours (CPE) and an annual ISACA fee.
Official source and up-to-date requirements: ISACA, CISA certification