DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING

This study examined the Effect of Accounting Practices on the Financial Performance of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. The research focused on how key accounting concepts – internal controls, financial reporting, budgeting practices, and role of support – influence the sustainability, profitability, and the overall performance of SMEs. A structured questionnaire was administered to SME owners and operators, across various sectors. Data collected was analyzed to determine the relationship between accounting practices and financial performance. The findings revealed that strong internal control systems significantly improve operational efficiency, reduce fraud, and also ensure compliance with financial procedures. Financial reporting, when timely and accurate, enhances transparency, helps in the process of decision making, and builds investor confidence in SMEs. Furthermore, Budgeting was found to play a vital role in planning, and evaluation of performance, aiding SMEs manage limited resources more effectively and efficiently. Additionally, the study highlighted the critical role of government support in shaping SME performance through tax incentives or holidays, access to credit, and mandatory adoption of basic financial reporting standards. It also concluded that SMEs with sound accounting practices are better positioned to achieve financial stability, attract invetors, and also contribute meaningfully to the country’s economic growth.

The broad objective of this study is to examine the impact of board attributes on tax aggressiveness in Nigeria. The data were obtained from the annual reports of individual DMBs submitted to Nigerian Stock Exchange. Therefore, the data needed was extracted from the audited financial reports of the selected firms within the periods of five years. There is a positive and significant relationship between board size and tax aggressiveness. There is a positive and insignificant relationship between board diversity and tax aggressiveness. There is a negative and significant relationship between ownership concentration and tax aggressiveness. There is a negative and insignificant relationship between managerial ownership and tax aggressiveness, and there is a negative and significant relationship between foreign ownership and tax aggressiveness. The board of directors of corporate organizations in Nigeria should restructure the board in terms of diversity. We recommend that this will ensure there is an adequate mix of directors consisting of female and male, nationality mix, size, educational qualification, and professional training to possibly influence the operational performance, including tax expense reduction

The board objective of this study is to examine the role of artificial intelligence on firm financial performance. Specifically, this study investigated the effects chatbot applications, robotic process automation and AI application on firm financial performance. The study used a primary data collected from 50 employees of the commercial banks within Ugbowo, Benin city, Edo State. Various statistical and econometric tool were applied to analyze the data. The results revealed that chatbot applications have a positive and statistically significant impact on organization performance. Robotic process automation and AI application in decision making have a positive but statistically insignificant impact on organization performance Based on the findings, the study recommended that businesses should consider increasing their investment in chatbot technologies, Organizations should reassess the effectiveness of their RPA strategies and business should explore other AI areas like predictive analytics, customer insights, or process automation

This study examined the influence of taxpayer education and awareness, incentives and relief measures, digitalization and ease of filing, and trust in government on tax compliance among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. The study was motivated by the persistent challenge of low tax compliance, which undermines government revenue generation and economic development. A survey research design was adopted, and data were collected through structured questionnaires distributed to 370 SME operators, out of which 340 were correctly completed and analyzed, representing a 92%
response rate. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation were employed, while inferential analysis was conducted using multiple regression. The findings revealed that taxpayer education and awareness significantly influence tax compliance among SMEs, demonstrating the importance of adequate informationdissemination and training on tax obligations. Incentives and relief measures were also found to have a positive effect on compliance, as accessible tax reliefs and simplified regimes encouraged voluntary participation. Similarly, digitalization and ease of filing significantly enhanced compliance, with evidence showing that e-filing systems reduced the cost and time of tax administration. Trust in government was equally identified as a critical determinant of tax compliance, as visible utilization of tax revenues and accountabilitywere found to motivate SMEs to comply. The study concludes that improving tax compliance requires a multidimensional approach involving taxpayer education, provision of incentives, robust digital platforms, and transparent governance. It recommends that tax authorities intensify awareness campaigns, introduce more accessible tax reliefs, simplify e-tax systems, and build trust through accountability and visible use of tax revenues. These measures, if properly implemented, will enhance compliance, increase government revenue, and foster sustainable economic growth

The broad objective of this study is to examine the impact of board attributes on tax aggressiveness in Nigeria. The data were obtained from the annual reports of individual DMBs submitted to Nigerian Stock Exchange. Therefore, the data needed was extracted from the audited financial reports of the selected firms within the periods of five years. There is a positive and significant relationship between board size and tax aggressiveness. There is a positive and insignificant relationship between board diversity and tax. There is a negative and significant relationship between ownership concentration and tax aggressiveness. There is a negative and insignificant relationship between managerial ownership and tax aggres siveness and there is a negative and significant relationship between foreign ownership and tax aggressiveness. The board of directors of corporate organizations in Nigeria should restructure the board in terms of diversity. We recommend this will ensure there is adequate mix of directors consisting of female
and male, nationality mix, size, educational qualification professional training to possibly influence the operation performance, including tax expense reduction.

In an economy, some interest groups such as households, firms, public and private sectors often collaborate and participate in the process of economic development. However, the government sector plays a predominant role in achieving the desired changes in the structure of any economy. Indeed, the uniqueness of public sector arises from the fact that, apart from being part of the economy the government sector plays a decisive role in attaining
macroeconomic objectives of stability, growth and development, through a package of economic policy measures and regulatory framework (Sackey & Ejah, 2014). For the Nigerian government to effectively carry out its primary function and other subsidiary functions, she requires adequate funding (Abomaye-Nimenibo, Williams &Friday, 2018). Tax is therefore a major source of government revenue all over the world. It is an opportunity for the government to collect revenue needed to discharge its pressing obligations. It has a bearing on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is the standard indicator for measuring the economic well-being of a nation. (Okafor, 2012) and Sanni (2007), advocated the use of tax as an instrument of social engineering, to stimulate general and/or sectoral economic growth. A tax system offers itself as one of the most effective means of mobilizing a nation’s internal resources and tends itself toward creating an environment conducive to the promotion of economic growth (Azubike, 2009)

This study investigates the effect of Information Technology (IT) adoption on the financial reporting quality (FRQ) of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. Although SMEs contribute significantly to economic growth and employment, many face challenges in maintaining high-quality financial reports due to poor record-keeping and limited IT usage. A quantitative research design was adopted, and 383 structured questionnaires were distributed to SME owners, managers, accountants, and bookkeepers. A total of 360 were duly completed and analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS, employing descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. Findings indicate that IT adoption— measured through perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude toward use, behavioral intention, and actual use—significantly improves the accuracy, reliability, relevance, and timeliness of financial reporting. However, high software costs, inadequate infrastructure, and low IT literacy hinder optimal adoption. The study recommends enhanced IT training, capacity building, and affordable technological solutions to improve financial reporting quality and promote transparency andsustainability among SMEs.

This study examined the influence of audit committee attributes on the timeliness of annual financial reports within Nigeria’s banking sector. The research aimed to investigate how audit committee independence, meeting frequency, financial expertise,
and gender diversity affect the prompt release of financial statements, while also considering firm size as a control variable. A correlational research design was adopted to establish the relationship between audit committee characteristics and financial
reporting timeliness among deposit money banks listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group. The study employed a census sampling technique, including all thirteen (13) deposit money banks quoted on the Nigerian Exchange within the period 2019–2023 as the
sample. Secondary data were obtained from the annual financial reports of the selected banks over the five-year period. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, and the binary logit regression technique, due to the categorical nature of the dependent variable (timeliness of financial report). The findings revealed that audit committee independence, meeting frequency, and financial expertise have significant positive effects on the timeliness of annual financial
reports (β₁ = –0.312, p = 0.004; β₂ = –0.275, p = 0.009; β₃ = –0.298, p = 0.006), indicating that greater independence, more frequent meetings, and higher financial expertise enhance timely disclosures. Gender diversity showed a positive but statistically
insignificant effect (β₄ = –0.120, p = 0.082), while firm size had a weak negative influence (β₅ = +0.095, p = 0.110). Collectively, the variables explained 60% (R² = 0.60, p = 0.000) of the variation in the timeliness of financial reports among the sampled
banks. The study concludes that audit committee attributes play a critical role in promoting timely financial reporting in Nigeria’s banking sector. It recommends that deposit money banks strengthen audit committee independence, ensure that members possess relevant financial expertise, and hold regular meetings to enhance monitoring efficiency. Additionally, gender inclusiveness should be encouraged to improve diversity of perspectives and governance quality. Future studies should explore moderating factors such as board effectiveness and audit quality across other sectors in Nigeria’s financial system.

This study examined the relationship between management accounting practices and strategic decision making in organisations in Nigeria. The main objective was to determine how management accounting tools such as budgeting and budgetary control, standard costing, variance analysis, activity-based costing, and cost-volume-profit analysis influence strategic decision making in Nigerian firms. The study adopted a descriptive survey design, and data were collected using structured questionnaires administered to selected organisations in Edo State. The sample size was determined using Yamane’s formula, and the data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The findings revealed that management accounting practices significantly influence strategic decision making, particularly in areas such as cost control, planning, and performance evaluation. The study concluded that effective application of management accounting tools enhances strategic decision making and organisational performance. It recommended that firms in Nigeria should strengthen their management accounting systems and continuously train managers in the use of modern accounting tools to support strategic decisions.

Motivated by the important role Intellectual capital plays in firms' performance, this study investigates the role of intellectual capital on the performance of Food, Beverage, and Tobacco (FBT) companies in Nigeria. The study relied on Secondary data covering 2012-2022, which were sourced from the yearly audited reports of the FBT corporations. The analytical method employed for the study is the pooled ordinary least squares (Pooled OLS) estimator. The empirical results revealed that capital employed efficiency and human capital efficiency are negatively related to financial performance, albeit only human capital efficiency is significantly related. Structural capital efficiency is positively
and significantly related to financial performance. The interactive terms of capital employed efficiency, human capital efficiency and structural capital efficiency are positively and significantly related to financial performance. Based on the findings, the
study concluded that the combination of intellectual capital components is a major driver of the performance of FBT companies in Nigeria. Consequently, this study recommended that FBT firms should give greater emphasis to the interaction of the major components of IC because of its ability to influence their financial performance positively