The general public and specific stakeholders have expressed apprehension as regards the degraded quality of the external audit report. The concept of audit quality and its determinants has been a debatable issue over the decades. The current study examined the determinants of audit quality in the context of the Nigerian listed consumer goods companies. Using the ex-post facto research, a sample of six (6) companies were randomly selected from a population of twenty existing companies as at 31st December 2020. Necessary data for the study was spooled from the audited annual financial statement of the considered companies for an eight-year period from 2012 when IFRSs became operational in Nigeria to the 2019 financial year. Correlation and regression analysis were carried out using SPSS version 22. The outcome of the study revealed a statistically non-significant but positive relationship with the board size as a proxy for corporate governance, audit firm size and company size on one hand, and audit quality on the other hand. However, a negative and statistically insignificant relationship is established between the tenure of the audit firm and audit quality in the Nigerian consumer goods sector. The following recommendations are proposed: (i) Policy measures should be put in place to regulate the activities of auditors so as to checkmate unreasonably long-term auditor-client relationship which may jeopardize objectivity and independence. (ii) Small audit firms should be encouraged to form partnerships so as to boost their capacity so as to enhance their audit engagement quality to big client companies.

The importance of cost accounting information for decision making has been a fundamental issue in cost accounting for several years. However, only a small proportion of the previous studies were carried out in the developing countries. Thus, this study investigates the factors which influence costing system implementation in Nigeria. Adopting survey research design, the sample includes forty manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Questionnaire was administered to financial managers, management accountants, senior accountants, accountants and cost accountants that are staff members of the selected companies. Descriptive statistics was used for the analysis. The findings revealed that each of the variables of: firm size, product diversity, top management support and intensity of competition has a significant influence on costing system implementation in Nigeria. The main recommendation is for future researchers to focus on small and medium scale enterprises which have been identified as critical for the development of any economy. Key word: Costing systems, product diversity, competition and management support.

Employees’ turnover poses a recurrent challenge to most business organization globally. There is virtually no organization that is immune to employees’ turnover; be it small size or big size organizations, they are all exposed to employees’ turnover. Although, it may not be feasible for any organization to totally eliminate employees’ turnover due to several reasons, nevertheless it could be reduced to the barest minimum. Many of the prior studies only focused on the causes of employees’ turnover without considering the remedies. In bridging this gap, the current study examines the causes, costs consequences and prevention of employees’ turnover. The study provides theoretical foundation underpinning employees’ turnover. The causes of employees’ turnover are also provided among which we have poor work environment and poor remuneration packages. The study further indicates that employees’ turnover has cost implications to the organization; such costs include but not limited to vacancy advertisement, interview, recruitment and training of new hire, loss of productivity, and cost of inefficiency of the new staff. Strategies that can help in addressing employees’ turnover include favourable working environment, and improved remuneration packages, amongst others.

The Nigerian banking environment is a vibrant and challenging financial environment and is endemic with systemic governance problems, capacity constraints and defaulting in compliance and implementation of laws which has inhibited economic growth. Therefore the current investigation focuses on association between organizational governance and profitability of deposits money banks in Nigeria. Three indicators of corporate governance mechanism (board composition, board size and directors’ interests) were incorporated in the study. Relevant information was extracted from audited financial statements of the selected banks. The results of the regression analysis revealed the existence of positive but non-statistically significant association between board composition and profitability on one hand; and board size and profitability on the other hand. However, a non beneficial and non-significant association exists between directors’ interests and profitability in the Nigerian banks. Based on the findings of the study, the study recommends that in order to prevent distress in the banking sector, there should be a regular review of the corporate governance codes so as to reflect current social, environmental, technological and economic situations.

Product diversity facilitates a higher possibility for cost distortion and applies when products consume activity-resources in different proportions. Greater product diversity requires more complex costing systems to capture the variation in resource utilization by different products (Ahmadzadeh, Etemadi, & Pifeh, 2011). Activity-based costing system represents one of the complex costing system innovations. Using a survey research design, this study examines the effects of product diversity on activity-based costing implementation in the Nigerian manufacturing sector. Data were obtained using structured questionnaire administered to 500 Accountants, Cost Accountants, Management Accountants and Financial Managers who are in full-time employment of 24 randomly selected manufacturing firms listed in the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The result of regression analysis revealed that there is a significant relationship between the extent of activity-based costing implementation and product diversity in the Nigerian manufacturing sector. It is recommended that future studies should seek to investigate the influence of other contextual variables such as top management support and competition.

The success of any business venture is predicated on how the management has planned and controlled its cash flows. Cash shortage will disrupts the firm's smooth operation and can even lead to insolvency. Excessive cash will tie down unnecessarily long-term capital with a result that the return on capital employed will be low. Thus, cash management assumes more significance than other current assets because cash is the most important asset that a firm holds. However, literature revealed that only limited studies have investigated the relationship between cash management and profitability in Nigeria. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between cash management and profitability in the Nigerian manufacturing firms. Correlation and regression analysis were carried out. The results reveal a positive and significant relationship between CCC and ROE on one hand and a non significant negative relationship between CCC and ROA. From the results of the study, it is recommended that future researchers should expand the scope of their studies to include multiple sectors of the economy.

Lending represents one of the core functions of commercial banking system. The essential role of banks in the economy has been to intermediate funds between surplus and deficit economic units. In the process of carrying out this primary task, banks have found themselves performing a number of functions which include: the mobilization of savings, stimulation of investment and economic growth, assistance in resources allocation, boosting of international trade and promotion of the payment system. The few studies which have been conducted on bank lending in Nigeria focused on the pre-consolidation banking era. This study examines the effect of deposit volume on bank lending behaviour in the Nigerian post-consolidation banking period. The population of the study comprises the 22 deposit money banks operating in Nigeria as at December, 2012. Data were obtained from the audited annual reports of the 22 banks for the post-consolidation period of 2006-2012. The analysis was conducted using regression analysis with the aid of SPSS package. The results revealed a positive and significant relationship between deposit volume and loan and advances in the selected banks. The study recommends that future researchers should investigate other factors which may exert some influence on the lending behaviour deposit money banks in Nigeria beside deposit volume. Specifically, factors such as capitalization, interest rates, gross domestic product, and liquidity ratio were mentioned.

Board diversity is a corporate governance issue which has of late caught the concentration of policymakers, managers, directors, business owners, and the academic world. This study examines the effect of board gender diversity on profitability in Nigeria. Using correlational research design, the study randomly selected ten money deposit banks in Nigeria. Data were obtained from audited annual reports of the selected banks. Return on equity was used as a proxy for profitability (dependent variable); meanwhile, two indicators of gender diversity including: the presence of female in the board of directors and the proportion of female in the board of directors were used. Four control variables of: bank size, board size, loan to total assets and age of bank were incorporated into the model, in line with previous studies. The results of the regression analysis revealed that the presence of female director on the board has a positive but insignificant relationship with banks’ profitability. Similarly, the result shows that the proportion of female in the board of directors has a positive but insignificant relationship with profitability in Nigeria. Furthermore, positive relationship is observed between profitability and each of: bank size, board size, loan to total assets and bank age.

Banking reforms have been a persistent process globally. In Nigeria, banking reforms began as a result of banking crisis due to extreme under-capitalization. Although several studies have been conducted on banks’ lending globally, however literature revealed that the precise relationship that exists between bank lending and capitalization has been inconclusive. While most studies on the subject reported a significant relationship between bank lending and capitalization; others reported no significant relationship between bank lending and capitalization. Using correlational research design, this study examines the relationship between banks’ capitalization and lending behaviour in Nigeria. A census study was conducted on the population of 22 deposit money banks operating in Nigeria as at December, 2012. Information obtained from the audited annual reports of the banks was subjected to regression analysis; the result revealed that there is no significant relationship between lending and capitalization in Nigerian banks. The study recommended to management of banks to make efforts to boost banks’ lending level with the increase in capitalization.

In recent times, the global economy has witnessed an increased incidence of mergers and acquisitions, particularly in the banking sector. This study examines the effect of mergers and acquisitions on the profitability of Nigerian banking sector. Data for the study were obtained from the audited annual reports of the selected banks in Nigeria. The results of the regression analysis conducted revealed that there is a significant difference between pre-mergers and acquisitions return on equity on one hand; and a significant difference between pre and post-mergers and acquisitions return on assets on the other hand. Specifically, the results of the study revealed a decline in financial performance at the post mergers and acquisitions when compared with that of the pre mergers and acquisitions dispensation. In other words, mergers and acquisitions in the Nigerian banking sector did not show any improvement in the profitability of the banks. It is recommended for banks’ management to strategize so as to enhance profitability, stability and growth.

Activity-based costing system represents a major innovation in management accounting. It is one of the most investigated management accounting concepts, especially in the advanced market economies of United States of investigated management accounting concepts, especially in the advanced market economies of United States of America, United Kingdom, amongst others. In the organizational innovative literature usually a positive association is found between size and organizational innovativeness. Larger firms are argued to have more complex and diverse facilities and greater resources available, and to employ more professional and skilled workers, that facilitate the implementation of innovations. The results of prior studies in the area of activity-based costing are somewhat mixed, however. Using a survey research design, this study examines the influence of firm size on activity-based costing implementation in the Nigerian Manufacturing sector. Data were obtained using structured questionnaire administered to 500 Accountants, Cost Accountants, Management Accountants and Financial Managers who are in full-time employment of 24 randomly selected manufacturing firms listed in the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The result of regression analysis revealed significant relationship between the extent of ABC implementation and firm size in the Nigerian manufacturing sector. It is recommended that future studies should seek to investigate the influence of other contextual factors such as top management support, product diversity and level of competition.

This paper examined the stance of independent directors on corporate sustainable development initiative in South Africa and Nigeria. This has become apposite considering the role of independent directors in corporate strategic decisions and performance. It is believed that independent boards strive to direct corporate decisions to protect the investors and thus improve financial performance. Given that sustainability initiative is currently occupying a vital strategic position in protecting firms against inherent and imminent climate change and financial risks, the paper undertakes a survey of South African and Nigerian companies to ascertain the role of independent directors on corporate sustainable development initiatives. Using a mix method of primary and secondary data analysis, the paper finds that independent boards in both countries of study understand the importance of sustainability; however a pragmatic stance on sustainability is more visible in South Africa where independent boards are members of and/or participate in nominating corporate sustainability committees. The paper suggests the need for improved detailed disclosure on sustainability in the Nigerian corporate annual reports; the Nigerian Stock Exchange may boost this initiative by establishing a social and environmental reporting index supported by an annual survey of company sustainability disclosure. It also suggests the need to include sustainability awareness and interest in the metrics that are used in the appointment of independent boards in Nigerian companies

The study examined the relationship between CSR and firms’ financial performance with focus on the Nigerian manufacturing sector. It employed descriptive research design and selected a sample of 20 firms-years during 2002-2011. The population of the study comprises of manufacturing companies that are listed in the Nigerian Stock Exchange; samples were selected using simple random sampling method. Data were collected from the audited financial statements of the selected companies for a period of ten years. Using profit before tax and annual turnover as proxies for financial performance, correlation and regression analysis were conducted. The results revealed a significant relationship between CSR and profit before tax on one hand; and CSR and turnover on the other hand. The main recommendation is for the firms to increase their investments in CSR as this would boost their financial performance in the long run.

th September, 2013 Firm size has been recognized as an essential variable in explaining organizational profitability and a number of studies have tried to explore the effect of firm size on profitability. However the results of these prior studies have been inconsistent and controversial, thus calling for further investigation. This study examined the effect of firm size on the profitability of Nigerian manufacturing sector. Panel data set over the period of 2005-2012 was obtained from the audited annual reports of the selected manufacturing firms listed in the Stock Exchange. Return on assets (ROA) was used as a proxy for profitability while log of total assets and log of turnover were used as proxies for firm size. Furthermore, liquidity, leverage and the ratio of inventories to total assets were used as the control variables. The results of the study revealed that firm size, both in terms of total assets and in terms of total sales, has a positive effect on the profitability of Nigerian manufacturing companies. Meanwhile, on the control variables, a negative relationship with inventory was obtained while others have positive relationship. It is recommended is for future researchers to investigate sector effects on the relationship between firm size and profitability in Nigeria.

Based on stakeholders’ theory, this study examined the practice of corporate social responsibility by manufacturing companies in Nigeria. It employed survey research design to study 15 randomly selected companies in the food and beverages sector. A total of 225 questionnaires were administered to collect data. Data analysis revealed that CSR is a familiar concept in the sector as most of the companies do engage in CSR activities regularly. The major areas of focus of the CSR activities include Education and Youth Development/Sport, among others. However, the study revealed that the proportion of Turnover invested in CSR is negligible. The hypothesis tested also corroborated this fact as the result of the test indicated no significant relationship between turnover and CSR investments. The major recommendation is that Nigerian manufacturing organizations should review their CSR policies to ensure that they are not just socially responsible, but to be seen so by the public.

Capital structure represents one of the most discussed concepts in financial management. Capital structure refers to how a company finances its operations whether through shareholders equity-fund or debt or a combination of both. Various internal and external factors contribute to the choice of these sources of fund. The external factors include factors such as tax policy, capital market conditions and tax policy, among others. Meanwhile, the internal factors are those that relate to individual firm characteristics. This study examines the determinants of capital structure in Nigeria using the descriptive research design. The population comprised of the eighty-six manufacturing firms that are listed in the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The sample firms were selected using the simple random sampling method. Secondary data obtained from the annual accounts of 24 randomly selected manufacturing firms for 10 years period culminating in 240 firm-year observations. The results of the regression analysis revealed that leverage (a measure of capital structure) has a negative relationship with firm size and tax on one hand and a positive relationship with tangibility of assets, profitability and growth on the other hand. However, only with tangibility of assets and firm size that significant relationship is established. It is recommended for future researchers to carry out similar studies in multiple sectors.