INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ACCOUNTING, FINANCE AND TAXATION

This study examines public budget allocation and utilization in Nigeria’s health, education, and agriculture sectors using annual data from 2011 to 2023. These sectors play critical roles in ensuring human capital development, food security, and overall socio-economic advancement, yet concerns persist regarding persistent budget underutilization and inefficiencies in public spending. Using secondary data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin, Budget Office reports, and sectoral expenditure summaries, the study employed descriptive statistical techniques, including measures of central tendency, dispersion, skewness, kurtosis, and the Jarque–Bera normality test. Findings reveal consistent patterns of underutilization across all three sectors, as actual spending remained significantly below budgeted allocations over the study period. Budget allocations increased substantially in nominal terms, particularly for education and health, but spending efficiency did not improve proportionally. The results show positive skewness and moderate leptokurtosis, indicating occasional years of unusually high allocations that contributed to volatility. Trend analysis further indicates widening gaps between budgeted and actual expenditures, suggesting systemic issues in fund releases, implementation bottlenecks, and weak fiscal discipline. These findings align with recent empirical evidence emphasizing inefficiencies in public sector spending in Nigeria and extend theoretical insights from public choice theory and fiscal federalism by illustrating how institutional and administrative constraints undermine optimal resource utilization. The study concludes that improving budget implementation mechanisms, strengthening monitoring frameworks, and enhancing fiscal accountability are critical for converting increased public allocations into meaningful development outcomes. Recommendations are offered to support more effective budget execution and sectoral performance.

Rising level of public debt and surged debt servicing obligations have become major problems for economic stability and growth in Nigeria. A large proportion of revenue by governments is often spent on debt repayment and there is concern as to the effect of debt servicing on growth. This study investigated the relationship between debt servicing and economic growth in Nigeria where the proxies for debt servicing were domestic debt servicing (DDS) and foreign debt servicing (FDS), while the indicator of economic growth was the gross domestic product (GDP). The research was based on the debt overhang theory, Keynesian theory of public debt, and the Solow growth theory. The research design used in this study is ex-post facto research design and the philosophy of research used is positivism. Secondary time series data spanning the time-period 1986 to 2024 were obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin and World Bank Developments Indicators. The population of the study were Nigeria's macroeconomic data in the study period and the sample size were 39 annual data selected with the help of census sampling technique. Data were analysed by adopting methods of descriptive statistics, Augmented Dickey-Fuller Unit Root Test, cointegration test of Johansen and ECMs were parsimonious error correction model (ECM) at 5% level of significance. The results showed that domestic debt servicing is negatively and significantly impacting GDP, whereas the foreign debt servicing has a positive and significant impact on economic growth in Nigeria. The study therefore concludes that excessive domestic debt servicing is growth inhibiting whereas productive use of foreign borrowing may be growth fostering. The study recommends prudent debt management at the domestic level, productive use of external debt and enhanced fiscal transparency. The research contributes to the knowledge by highlighting the empirical evidence regarding differential impacts of domestic and foreign debt servicing on economic growth in Nigeria.

This article examined the relationship between Cost Management Techniques and Organizational Performance in Oil and Gas Industry in Nigeria. Relevant data was collected and analyzed using regression method and e-view Statistical Package. The result of the first hypothesis tested reveals that cost management has a significant positive influence on Net Profit (p < 0.05), meaning that a unit increase in CMI increases Net Profit by 0.752 units. Also, the second hypothesis showed that Cost Management has a significant positive influence on the Financial Management Systems, meaning that (p

This article synthesizes on Community Development Costs and Net Profit Margin on quoted oil and gas companies in Nigeria—two of the most debated components of CSR–performance research in Africa. Using longitudinal panel data from 2012–2022, the study applied multiple regression, Error Correction Estimate and Causality Testing. The results reveal that community development cost has a significant positive relationship with net profit margin, confirming the view that strategic CSR enhances both corporate legitimacy and financial outcomes. The paper concludes with practical policy recommendations as pathways for leveraging CSR and a profit-enhancing strategy in resource-dependent communities. The study also emphasizes the inevitability and urgent need for CSR in the contemporary society if there should be harmonious oil companies’ operations in the host communities. Most importantly, the cost that would have been saved, if properly invested in CSR should have greater positive multiplier effects and bring about better community development and oil companies profitability.

This study examined the relationship between virtual servicescape and customer purchase intention of telecommunication firms in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The virtual servicescape was conceptualized through aesthetic appeal, layout, and functionality. Anchored on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) Theory, the study adopted a correlational research design to determine the strength and direction of the relationships among the variables. Data were collected from 40 managers from four (4) telecommunications companies in Yenagoa. The study used census sampling and studied the entire population. The data were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMC). The findings revealed that aesthetic appeal, layout, and functionality each have a strong positive and statistically significant relationship with customer purchase intention. This implies that customers are more likely to engage in purchase behavior when telecommunication websites and applications are visually appealing, logically structured, and technically efficient. The study concluded that virtual servicescape is a critical determinant of customer behavioral intention in the digital marketing environment. It recommended that telecommunication firms in Bayelsa State should enhance the aesthetic quality, navigational layout, and functional performance of their online platforms to improve customer experiences and drive stronger purchase intentions.

This study examines the impact of the quality of trade receivables quality and cash holdings on firm value among listed Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) in Nigeria from 2013 to 2023. Using Panel Generalized Least Squares (PGLS) regression, the results show that poor receivables quality (TRCQI) and high cash holdings significantly reduce firm value. Receivables turnover also has a negative effect, suggesting that overly aggressive recovery may harm long-term value. Non-performing loan ratio and loan loss provisions show insignificant effects. The study concludes that efficient receivables management and optimal cash utilization are essential for enhancing firm value. DMBs should improve credit oversight, avoid excessive liquidity, adopt balanced recovery strategies, and enhance transparency to boost investor confidence.

The infrastructural deficit in developing countries necessitates alternative financing mechanisms beyond government funding, with Sukuk bonds emerging as a viable solution. This study examines the role of Sukuk bonds in promoting infrastructural development in Nigeria’s South-West geopolitical zone. Using historical data from the Debt Management Office and case studies of Sukuk-funded projects, the study highlights the issuance, types, and Shariah-compliant principles of Sukuk, including Ijara, Musharaka, Murabaha, Mudaraba, Istisna, and Salam structures. The analysis demonstrates that Sukuk financing has facilitated the development and rehabilitation of critical road networks, such as the Benin-Ofosu-Ore-Ajebandele-Shagamu dual carriageway and the Ibadan-Ilorin road, thereby addressing funding gaps, reducing project completion times, and boosting investor participation. Lessons from the South-West experience emphasize the importance of government intervention, public-private partnerships, long-term planning, diversified funding sources, regional cooperation, and inclusive infrastructure for sustainable economic growth. The study concludes that Sukuk bonds represent an effective and replicable financing tool for infrastructure development in Nigeria, enhancing financial inclusion, capital market depth, and economic growth prospects.

This study examined aggressive tax planning as an emerging environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risk, focusing on its implications for corporate governance, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability in Nigeria. Guided by two objectives, the research developed corresponding research questions and hypotheses. A descriptive and explanatory research design, combined with an ex-post facto approach, was employed to analyze fiscal policy and economic growth variables using data spanning 2010 to 2024. The study framework included independent variables such as Effective Tax Rate and Book Tax Differences, with Firm Size as a control variable, while Community Investment Intensity served as the dependent variable. Findings indicate that aggressive tax planning, particularly as measured by Book Tax Differences, negatively affects ESG-related outcomes, suggesting that firms engaging in tax avoidance may underinvest in socially responsible and environmentally sustainable initiatives. Conversely, a higher Effective Tax Rate and larger firm size were associated with moderately better ESG performance, highlighting the role of tax compliance and resource availability in promoting sustainable practices. The analysis also identified cross-sectional dependence and long-run cointegration among the variables, confirming that ESG performance and tax planning behaviors are interconnected across firms over time. Based on these insights, the study recommends that firms align their tax strategies with sustainable business practices by adhering to tax regulations and avoiding aggressive tax planning that could compromise ESG objectives.

This research explores the relative efficacy of two basic elements of corporate governance board composition and resources versus board diligence and activity in driving Digital Financial Reporting (DFR) disclosure among Nigerian listed firms. The study examined longitudinal data from 2012 to 2023 using a theoretical framework that combines Resource Dependence Theory (RDT) and Signalling Theory. The results of panel multiple regression consistently demonstrate that the main drivers of transparency are governance mechanisms that provide structural resources and legitimacy: Board Size (beta = 0.005, p < 0.001), Board Gender Diversity (beta = 0.002, p = 0.003), and Board Independence (beta = 0.003, p = 0.016) all show a strong, positive, and significant influence on DFR adoption. Board meetings, a proxy for diligence, on the other hand, exhibit a negative and statistically negligible effect (beta = -0.001, p = 0.067), indicating that activity alone does not result in a better digital disclosure approach. Additionally, DFR is adversely affected by Financial Gearing (Leverage), which is a major external restriction (beta = -0.002, p = 0.002). The results provide important policy recommendations for improving corporate accountability in emerging countries, concluding that the board's composition quality is a better indicator of proactive digital transparency than its activity level.