DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING

This study examines the challenges of tax administration in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, with a focus on the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). The research explores issues such as inefficiency, corruption, inadequate taxpayer education, and complex tax laws, which hinder effective revenue generation. A survey research design was employed, with data collected through structured questionnaires administered to FIRS officials and taxpayers. The data were analyzed using statistical tools, including the chi-square test. The findings indicate that corruption and administrative inefficiencies significantly affect tax compliance and revenue collection. Additionally, inadequate taxpayer education contributes to non-compliance. The study recommends improved transparency in tax administration, digitalization of tax processes, and enhanced taxpayer education to boost compliance. Implementing these measures will strengthen Nigeria's tax system and promote sustainable economic growth.

This study examined the impact of audit committee characteristics on financial reporting quality in Nigerian telecommunication companies. The research adopted an ex-post facto design and relied on secondary data obtained from the published annual reports of four major telecommunications firms MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile for the period 2015 to 2024. Financial reporting quality was measured by the timeliness of financial statements, while audit committee independence, size, meeting frequency, and financial expertise served as the explanatory variables. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression techniques with the aid of Stata 13. The diagnostic tests confirmed the absence of multicollinearity, heteroskedasticity, and autocorrelation, ensuring the reliability of the model. The regression results revealed that audit committee independence, size, meeting frequency, and expertise did not have a statistically significant effect on financial reporting quality in the sampled firms. The overall model also lacked explanatory power, suggesting that audit committee characteristics, as currently structured in Nigerian telecommunications companies, may not be strong determinants of reporting timeliness. The findings indicate that compliance with governance requirements does not automatically translate into higher reporting quality unless audit committees actively perform their oversight roles. The study concludes that while audit committees are vital for corporate governance, their effectiveness depends more on active engagement, independence in practice, and professional competence than on formal attributes such as size or meeting frequency. It recommends that regulatory authorities and company boards focus on strengthening the functional capacity of audit committees by providing continuous training, enforcing genuine independence, and prioritizing quality over quantity in audit committee activities.

This study examined the effect of online Value Added Tax (VAT) administration on the performance of e-commerce businesses in Nigeria. The research was anchored on the Optimal Tax Theory, Tax Incidence Theory, Technology Acceptance Model, and Laffer
Curve Theory, which collectively explain the relationship between taxation efficiency, compliance behaviour, and digital adoption. The study employed a survey research design and collected data from 384 online business operators across major e-commerce platforms in Nigeria. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression techniques were used to analyse the data.
The findings revealed that policy clarity, compliance burden, and enforcement intensity significantly influence e-commerce performance. Specifically, policy clarity had a strong positive effect (β = 0.4058, p < 0.001), compliance burden exerted a modest positive effect (β = 0.053, p < 0.05), while enforcement intensity recorded the strongest impact (β = 0.961, p < 0.001). The combined influence of these variables explained about 82% of the variation in e-commerce performance. The study concluded that a transparent, efficient, and technology-driven VAT system enhances compliance and supports digital business growth.
It recommends that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) simplify VAT policies, digitize compliance processes, strengthen enforcement through data-driven monitoring, and promote collaboration between regulators and e-commerce stakeholders to sustain Nigeria’s evolving digital economy.

The study examines how political costs of firms in Nigeria influences tax planning. The study concludes political cost and institutional ownership has a negative significant effect on tax planning of listed manufacturing firms in Nigeria. However, profitability and managerial ownership has no insignificant effect on tax planning of listed manufacturing firms in Nigeria during the period under review. Finally, the study conclude that leverage has a positive insignificant effect on tax planning of listed manufacturing firms in Nigeria

This study investigates the impact of forensic accounting practices on corporate governance in Nigerian manufacturing companies. Specifically, it examines how fraud detection, forensic data analytics, internal control reviews, and litigation support influence transparency, accountability, and board oversight. A survey research design was adopted, and data was collected from 275 respondents, including auditors, forensic accountants, finance managers, and other professionals. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. The findings reveal that fraud detection significantly enhances financial reporting integrity and
discourages financial misconduct, while forensic data analytics improves decision-making speed, risk assessment, and transparency. Reviewing internal controls was identified as the most influential factor, strengthening accountability and reducing opportunities for fraud. Additionally, forensic accounting support for litigation and investigations was found to improve compliance enforcement and ethical governance practices. Regression results confirmed that forensic accounting practices collectively have a significant positive effect on corporate governance (R = 0.488, R² = 0.238, p < 0.05).
The study concludes that forensic accounting is a critical mechanism for enhancing corporate governance by promoting transparency, accountability, and stakeholder confidence. It recommends that organizations institutionalize forensic auditing, adopt advanced data analytics tools, strengthen internal control reviews, and engage forensic experts in litigation and compliance processes.

The adoption of Financial Technology (FinTech) has significantly transformed financial reporting, enhancing accuracy, transparency, efficiency, and compliance. This study examines the impact of FinTech innovations, digital payment systems, blockchain technology, and automated accounting software, on financial reporting quality in Nigerian businesses. A descriptive survey research design was employed, targeting financial professionals, auditors, and business owners within Nigeria. A sample of 363 respondents was determined using Taro Yamane’s formula and selected through a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using multiple linear regression to assess the relationship between FinTech adoption and financial reporting quality. The findings reveal that digital payment systems improve the timeliness of financial reporting by streamlining transaction processing and
integration into reporting frameworks. Blockchain technology enhances transparency and security by ensuring immutable and verifiable financial records. Automated accounting software contributes to reporting efficiency and compliance by minimizing human errors and automating regulatory adherence. The regression analysis (R² = 0.441) confirms that FinTech adoption significantly influences financial reporting quality, explaining 44.1% of the variation in reporting outcomes. The study recommends stronger regulatory frameworks, increased cybersecurity investments, and enhanced digital literacy for financial professionals to maximize the benefits of FinTech in financial reporting. Future research should explore the role of artificial intelligence in financial fraud detection and conduct comparative studies on FinTech adoption across different business sizes

This study reviewed CEO characteristics and firm value in Nigeria Over the period of 2018 - 2023. The study’s objective is to examine the to examine the impact of CEO education and firm value in Nigeria, to analyze the impact of CEO religion on firm value in Nigeria, to examine the influence of CEO age on firm value in Nigeria and to investigate the effect of CEO political affiliation nd firm value in Nigeria. The Research design used in this study is the quantitative method, secondary data was collected from 50 rms sourced from the Nigerian stock exchange, the study utilised the panel data regression approach, given the nature of the ataset, the data was analysed using correlation coefficient and regression analysis. The analysis revealed several key findings regarding the factors influencing return on investment (ROI), a positive impact of education on return on investment (ROI), a positive impact of religion on return on equity (ROE), a positive impact of age on return on equity, implying that older age groups may tend to achieve higher returns, while firm size was found to have a statistically significant negative impact on return on investment. This implies that larger firms tend to experience lower returns on investment. In conclusion, the analysis provides valuable insights into the factors influencing return on investment (ROI) and return on assets (ROA), the study recommended that investors should diversify decision-making beyond education, considering factors like financial performance and market conditions. Encouraging continuous financial education can empower investors for effective market navigation. Additionally, holistic approaches integrating religion, age, and firm size with risk assessment optimize investment outcomes.

The main purpose of this study was to examine the impact of artificial intelligence on the accounting profession. It examines the usefulness of artificial intelligence to the accounting profession. The findings indicate that artificial intelligence and the accounting profession are positively correlated, and that AI will have an impact on the accounting profession in the future.The accounting profession's adoption of artificial intelligence has improved the quality of financial information, relevance, faithful representation, efficiency, and corporate governance information. However, it is advised that a comparison of the use of the accounting profession in other fields and in other accounting professions could offer some insights into institutional and cultural factors that influence the decision to use artificial intelligence. Additionally, the use of AI technology can help improve the quality of their asset base and lower leverage ratios by reducing debt. A survey research design was used in the study. A total of 50 questionnaires were distributed equally among penultimate, final-year students and faculty members working in the accounting department of the University of Benin in Benin City, Edo State, as the primary method of data collection. Regression analysis was used to formulate and test five hypotheses.The analysis's findings led to the acceptance ofthe alternative hypotheses and the rejection ofthe five null hypotheses. Thus, it was determined that artificial intelligence significantly affects how the accounting profession is perceived. According to the study, the accounting profession should implement stronger artificial intelligence procedures in order to enhance the caliber of their financial reporting and, consequently, their overall worth.

This study was concerned with the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) in Nigeria and specific stakeholders in the Nigerian financial landscape. This study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. The population consisted of 500 investors and accountants in Benin City and a sample size of 225 investors in publicly listed companies and accountants which was selected using convenience sampling techniques enabling easy gathering of primary data with minimal resources. The hypotheses were tested using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings from the study shows that the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) has a significant impact on the quality of investment decision-making in the Nigerian financial landscape, that there is need for improvement in the roles played by regulatory bodies in the implementation of IFRSs in Nigerian financial landscape, and that the accounting profession and academia play a crucial role in developing competent accountants for the proper implementation of IFRSs in Nigerian financial landscape. Based on the findings, recommendations were made, such as formulation and enforcement of comprehensive regulations for IFRSs implementation by government regulatory agencies, the accounting profession should be primarily involved in development of accountants knowledgeable in IFRSs, and ensuring compliance with the IFRSs by the preparers of financial statements. This can enable Nigeria to leverage the full benefits of adopting and implementing international Financial Reporting Standards in Nigeria. The findings of this study also confirmed some previous studies.

This study investigates the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on audit efficiency within the private sector. The rapid advancement of AI technologies has transformed traditional auditing processes by enhancing data accuracy, speed, and decision-making. The objectives of this research are to examine the effect of AI on audit efficiency, evaluate the challenges auditors face in adopting AI-driven tools, ascertain the implications of AI integration on the future roles and skills required of auditors, and determine how AI supports auditors’ professional judgment and decision-making during audits. The study adopts a quantitative research approach through the administration of structured questionnaires to auditors in selected private organizations. The data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Findings reveal that the adoption of AI significantly improves audit efficiency by automating repetitive tasks, reducing human error, and enabling real-time data analysis. However, the study also identifies key challenges, including high implementation costs, lack of technical expertise, data security concerns, and resistance to technological change. Furthermore, the integration of AI necessitates the acquisition of advanced digital and analytical skills among auditors to remain relevant in the evolving audit environment. The study concludes that while AI serves as a strategic tool for improving audit quality and efficiency, adequate training and organizational support are essential for its effective implementation.