The ability to implement and maximize the use of accounting software to ensure reliable and efficient cost control among firms have become one of the complex challenges faced by many firms in contemporary business operations. The impact of accounting software on cost control among firms in the service sectors of Nigerian economy using listed deposit money banks was examined in this study. The study employed field survey design, via structured questionnaire administered to 120 respondents in Nigeria’s financial services sector. A total of 107 representing 89.7% were retrieved usable copies. Cronbach’s alpha test showed that the instrument had a value of 0.967 which is greater than 0.70, which implied that the research instrument was reliable. Purposive sampling technique was used for sampling size estimation of the descriptive and inferential statistics while regression analysis was used for the data analysis. The results of the study revealed that accounting software proxied by (software efficiency, software reliability, software easiness, software accuracy and data quality) significantly affected responsibility accounting (R2 = 0.600; F(5, 114) = 32.758; p-value =0.000. as well as activity based costing (R2 = 0.810; F(5, 114) = 91.489; p-value = 0.000). The study therefore concluded that accounting software deployment and implementation has a significant positive impact on cost control in listed deposit money banks. In particular, the study found that software operational easiness and its associated accuracy are the two principal elements that drive cost control effectiveness of listed deposit money banks in Nigeria. Consequently, the study recommended that when considering selection of accounting software for organization-wide deployment and implementation, owners and management of deposit money banks should ensure that software operational easiness and accuracy are used as the primary selection criterion to facilitate cost control effectiveness and by extension optimal revenue returns.

This paper examined the interplay between financial technologies and financial inclusion in emerging economies especially from the Nigerian perspective. The study adopted the exploratory research design involving extensive review of related published materials including statistics obtained from reputable sources such as the World Bank, the Enhancing Financial Inclusion Surveys and the Global Findex reports. The study found that while the deployment of financial technologies has aided the financial inclusion drive in Nigeria, progress is still being hampered by challenges relating to poor system interoperability, socio-cultural induced gender sensitivities, concerns of data privacy breaches and over serving of cities by Fintechs to the detriment of priority rural areas. The study therefore recommended that regulatory authorities should provide clear policy frameworks that address issues of gender sensitivities, breach of data privacy and encourage a redirection of fintech activities to priority rural areas for greater impact on the financial inclusion drive. Also, efforts should be made to improve system interoperability and linkages between the conventional banks and fintech players to mitigate the challenges of frequent downtimes and service glitches which heightens trust deficiency.

This paper examined the linkage between environmental disclosure practices and sustainable performance with particular reference to listed manufacturing companies operating in Nigeria. The study utilized the ex-post facto research design for its investigation while a sample of forty-eight (48) listed manufacturing firms were purposively selected out of sixty-seven (67) quoted manufacturing firms listed as at December, 2020. The study found that while environmental disclosures (EDD) exhibited a negative effect on Returns on Assets (ROA), Debt to Assets Ratio (DTA) and Market Price per Share (MPS) of the sampled firms, Social Disclosures (SDD), firm size and firm age exerted significant positive influence on sustainable performance of manufacturing firms. This implied that mere adherence to environmental disclosures is insufficient to affect the volume and direction of performance of manufacturing entities. On the contrary, social disclosures involving extensive social engagements and execution of corporate social responsibility initiatives positively impacts and drives sustainable performance of manufacturing companies in Nigeria. The study therefore recommended that management of manufacturing companies must take necessary steps to improve their levels of social engagements with their respective host communities with a view to improving their overall performance in a sustainable way.

This paper examined cryptocurrency and its global practices with particular reference to salient lessons for the Nigerian economy. The desk review methodology anchored on content analysis was used for the study. The paper identified distrust in political systems, weak domestic currency and high inflation rates as key factors fueling the growth of cryptocurrency usage in Nigeria thus motivating individuals to resort to cryptocurrencies as a tool for wealth preservation and inflation hedge. The study also found that the existence of trust deficit and challenges associated with privacy concerns, system uptime and stringent onboarding requirements were capable of derailing the success of the newly launched digital currency(‘e-naira’) issued by government to curtail cryptocurrency usage in Nigeria. The study concluded that cryptocurrencies and central bank issued digital currencies (CBDCs) are now part and parcel of the new economic order and represents the future of finance. It therefore recommended that nation states should work assiduously to develop uniformly agreed regulatory framework and global standards for the usage of cryptocurrencies.

This study examined the role that forensic accounting play in aiding the success of fraud prevention strategies in combating frauds at both corporate and national levels. The study adopted the exploratory research design methodology involving extensive review of published articles, periodicals and other materials relevant to the subject matter. The study found that while the use and deployment of forensic accounting tools and techniques have made appreciable progress in the developed world, its appreciation and usage in emerging economies is still at the embryonic stage due to lack of political will, poor ethical tone set by management and dearth of skilled forensic accounting professionals. It therefore recommended that to ensure sustainable success of fraud prevention strategies, management of both public sector and corporate entities should demonstrate the needed political will and set the right ethical tone at the top through their actions and activities. Similarly, efforts should be made to continually upskill anti-fraud staffs (internal audit, forensic accountants, forensic investigators) through trainings and awareness programs on the latest fraud prevention methodologies. Also, that in view of the rising cases of cybercrimes, nation states should urgently consider the signing and implementation of legal treaties and frameworks to combat the scourge.

In meeting the regulatory and ethical requirements of environmental accounting, reporting and practice among corporate organizations seem quite complex and challenging. Globally, management exerts much energy complying with environmental issues that affect salient societal requirements of pragmatic legitimacy and environmental accounting reporting and practice, yet the extent of this alignment remains uncertain. This study examined legitimacy theory and environmental accounting reporting and practices, adopting an exploratory research approach. The study resorted to using relevant materials from the field of accounting and finance. The study consulted and used journals, periodicals, and other documented material found to be appropriate and relevant to the study. Legitimacy theory was appropriately reviewed while other subsidiary theories of stakeholder theory and environmental information disclosure theory form part of the theoretical consideration. The study recommended that management of pollution sensitive companies should make environmental protection a priority and show good and quality character of adequate environmental disclosure and proper environmental accounting reporting and practice as expected by the stakeholders.

AbstractThis research assesses the effect of capital adequacy on the corporate performance of quoted non-financial firms operating in Nigeria. Several studies on the influence of capital adequacy on corporate performance have been conducted without specific focus on non-financial entities despite their growing contribution to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). The study utilized the ex-post facto research design using secondary data obtained for the period 2011–2020. A sample of thirty-eight (38) out of sixty-three (63) listed non-financial firms were purposively selected while data obtained were analyzed using multivariate regression. The study found that while capital adequacy ratio, equity capital/total assets ratio and cost income ratio negatively affected corporate performance, debt equity ratio and firm size positively influenced corporate performance of quoted non-financial firms operating in Nigeria. It therefore concluded that firm size and profitable use of debt capital in the capital mix of non-financial firms are key factors that can positively drive their corporate performance. Consequently, it recommended that the management of non-financial firms should explore opportunities inherent in profitable use of debt capital to further improve their performance and hence returns to their respective stakeholders. Additionally, regulators of non-financial firms operating in Nigeria should strengthen the risk management monitoring framework to ensure market discipline and balanced growth and development of the firms.

This paper examined the impact of cybersecurity in driving the financial innovation of Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria.The rapid growth in population coupled with the challenge of reducing the rate of the financially excluded has made the need for financial innovation by Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria a matter of serious importance.However, due to a mix of factors ranging from poor design, design vulnerabilities to lopsided adoption and implementation of new financial technology products, this need has remained largely unmet with attendant negative consequences on the financial system.The study adopted a survey research design with primary data obtained via a structured questionnaire administered to a sample size of fifty-six (56) Deposit Money Banks Staff purposively selected.The sampled staffs were senior member staff of key impacted departments while the Banks selected accounted for 93% of total market capitalization as on December 31, 2021.The primary data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.The study found that cybersecurity proxied by risk management and bank monitoring had a statistically and positively significant impact on financial innovation of deposit money banks in Nigeria (Adj.R 2 = 0.447, F (2,55) =23.274, p< 0.05).It recommended that deposit money banks should ensure regular review, revision and strengthening of their risk management framework to meet with emerging challenges from the deployment of financial innovative products and services.Additionally, deposit money banks should improve on the level of monitoring of the deployed e-banking channels (Card products, POS, ATMs and other channels) to facilitate greater reliance on them for the consummation of financial transactions.

This study examined the post -implementation impact of IFRS 15 from the Nigerian perspective and challenges associated with the adoption.Four listed companies operating in IFRS 15 key impacted firms in Nigeria which accounts for 82% of total market capitalization as of April 2021 were selected.The data extracted were analyzed with the aid of tables, charts, ratios, percentages and content analysis.The study revealed that listed firms in Nigeria aligned with the need to adopt and fully implement IFRS 15 in their financial reporting in response to regulatory pressure and increased internationalization of their operations.The study, therefore, concluded that adoption and implementation of IFRS 15 had a positive effect on accounting numbers of listed firms in Nigeria.The study identified the proper identification and treatment of royalties, income taxes, proper delineation of revenues from contractual fees, the need for persistent contract modifications, capitalization of contract costs, and collectability issues, as key challenges of IFRS 15 implementation.The study recommended that the Board and Management of companies operating in the IFRS 15 impacted industries should always provide greater clarity on the basis used for arriving at the significant judgment calls they make.Also, the Financial Reporting Council and external auditors need to develop workable methodologies to monitor and tighten compliance with both quantitative and qualitative IFRS 15 disclosure requirements.

Protection of environment and evidence of such efforts by companies sensitive to the environmental issues have not been convincingly clear. The attitudinal landscape of insensitivity and unfair treatment of environmental protection by the environment sensitive establishments in the downstream activities have become worrisome, particularly where expected returns from assets utilization now overrides concern the planet protection and fair treatments of the host communities where they operate. Consequently, an examination of environmental fairness and its effects on assets utilization. The population consisted of 12 oil and gas companies engaged in the downstream activities. Selection of companies using a purposive sampling technique for a period of 16 years 2003-2018 was explored. Inferential statistics was adopted in the data analysis and multicollinearity test carried out to determine the presence or absence of multicollinearity, showed no negative effect, while Breusch-Pagan / Cook-Weisberg test for heteroscedasticity was carried out for residual constantans. Environmental fairness had a statistically and positively significant impact on asset utilization (Adj R2=0.30; F-statistics(3, 44) =226.3; p-value=0.00 < 0.05). The study recommended that management of oil and gas companies should also ensure adequate support to the community through corporate social responsibility by implementing policies that reflect their environmental consciousness as well as ensuring full disclosure of all such activities in their published annual reports.

The desire and demand for value for money audit (VFM) in the public sector is significant because the confidence of the populace is gradually fading away due to inability of public servants at all levels to ensure transparency and accountability in public spending. Some prior studies have ascribed this to a lack of patriotism, and sheer display of incompetence and systemic inaptitude, others attributed this to weak control measures and ineffective value for audit, resulting to misappropriation, fraud, and stealing of public funds. Consequently, this study examined public sector engagements, from the perspective of value for money audit. The research approach adopted for the study was content analysis. The study revealed that if properly carried out, value for money audit has the capacity to enhance reduction in costs of governance, misappropriation and theft of public fund, assist government in redirecting scarce public resources to priority areas and restore public confidence in the management of national economies. Public sector engagements and establishments are advised to instill the culture of regular value for money audit in all public sector institutions to ensure protection and proper utilization of public fund.