Accounting Ethics and Audit Quality in Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the effects of accounting ethics on audit quality in Nigeria. Although no method yet has been found to guarantee the optimum quality level for the financial information users, and implicitly the quality of audit services, efforts concerning this aspect has been intensified lately. A number of elements that influence quality in audit profession have been identified by many authors as Integrity, Objectivity, Professional Competence and Due Care, Confidentiality, and Professional Behaviour. Auditors, as professionals, are expected to behave in accordance with the professional codes of ethics, and to maintain standards of moral behaviour that are expected of a professional person for a quality audit report to be achieved. To restore public confidence in the profession, auditors in conducting their tasks should be able to produce an audit with higher quality. For this purpose, auditors need to be brave whistleblowers so that the resulting audit would be to the favour of the stakeholders. The paper examined the manner in which ethical principles impact on the quality of audit report issued by professional auditors. Findings from the various literature reviewed showed the existence of positive and significant relationship between Accounting Ethics and Audit quality. The study concludes that Accounting Ethics play an important role in improving auditor’s proficiency thus; there is the need for Accounting Regulatory Bodies and other stakeholders to make concerted efforts in ensuring that accounting ethics are standardized and strictly enforced. This paper therefore recommends that ethics in accounting should be made effective as a major course in Nigerian Universities, so as to enlighten and educate students on how to and how not to behave as accountants. In the same vein, the paper suggests increased ethics education at both pre-qualifying and post-qualifying levels of the accounting profession to stop unholy practices among accountants.