Firm’s Market Structure and Financial Reporting Quality in Nigerian Quoted Companies

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between firm’s market structure and financial reporting quality in Nigerian listed companies. Data were sourced from the annual reports and accounts of sampled companies quoted on Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) between 2010 and 2014. Firm’s market structure was operationalized by the factor score/index of audit firm size and industry type. Discretionary accruals, the dependent variable used as a measure for financial reporting quality was operationalised using the modified Jones model. The results of the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression with fixed effects of market variables supported by factor indices showed that firm’s market structure had significant impact on financial reporting quality. Based on these findings, it was recommend that regulators of the accounting and auditing professions should put in measures that would encourage small audit firms to grow through merger and acquisitions, in order for them to be able  compete with the Big-4 audit firms and reduce capital flights resulting from the profits taken by the foreign partners.