C. A Okafor

This study examined auditing as a strategic approach to ensuring accountability and transparency in Nigerian firms. The research specifically assessed the effects of audit frequency, audit quality, and audit independence on accountability and transparency among ten (10) listed service firms on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) between 2019 and 2024. Secondary data were extracted from the firms’ annual reports, while the analysis was conducted using EViews 13 through descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and panel least squares regression techniques. The descriptive results revealed a relatively high level of accountability and transparency among the sampled firms, with moderate variations in audit practices. The correlation analysis showed strong positive associations between all auditing variables and accountability and transparency, suggesting that improvements in audit mechanisms enhance corporate openness. The regression analysis indicated that audit frequency (β = 0.0276, p = 0.016) and audit quality (β = 0.0629, p = 0.000) have significant positive effects on accountability and transparency, while audit independence (β = 0.0121, p = 0.052) had a positive but statistically insignificant influence. The overall model had an R-squared value of 0.799, indicating that approximately 79.9% of the variations in accountability and transparency were explained by the three audit variables.