Effect Of Audit Quality on Shareholders’ Confidence in Nigerian Deposit Money Banks: An Empirical Assessment of First Bank of Nigeria PLC

• Author(s): Elias Samuel Unekwu; Onoja John
• Paper ID: 1719650
• Page: 1032-1041
• Published Date: 10-07-2026
• Published In: Iconic Research And Engineering Journals
• Publisher: IRE Journals
• e-ISSN: 2456-8880
• Volume/Issue: Volume 10 Issue 1 July-2026

Abstract

This study examined the effect of audit quality on shareholders’ confidence in Nigerian deposit money banks, using First Bank of Nigeria PLC, Lokoja as a case study. The study was anchored on Agency Theory and Stakeholder Theory, which emphasize the importance of accountability, transparency, and credible financial reporting in enhancing investor trust. The study adopted an ex-post facto research design and relied exclusively on secondary data obtained from the published annual reports and audited financial statements of First Bank PLC covering the period 2015–2024. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The findings revealed that auditor independence has a significant effect on shareholders’ confidence (F = 7.91, p = 0.018). The study also found that audit fees significantly affect shareholders’ confidence (F = 9.32, p = 0.009). Furthermore, audit report timeliness was found to have a significant effect on shareholders’ confidence (F = 12.44, p = 0.002). The results indicate that improvements in audit quality contribute significantly to increased shareholders’ confidence through enhanced credibility, transparency, and reliability of financial reporting. The study concluded that audit quality is a critical determinant of shareholders’ confidence in Nigerian deposit money banks. The study recommends that regulatory authorities should strengthen auditor independence requirements, banks should ensure adequate audit remuneration to support effective audit processes, and management should promote timely release of audited financial statements to enhance investor confidence.

Keywords

Audit Quality, Auditor Independence, Audit Fees, Audit Report Timeliness, Shareholders’ Confidence, Deposit Money Banks, First Bank PLC.

Citations

IRE Journals:
Elias Samuel Unekwu, Onoja John "Effect Of Audit Quality on Shareholders’ Confidence in Nigerian Deposit Money Banks: An Empirical Assessment of First Bank of Nigeria PLC" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 10 Issue 1 2026 Page 1032-1041

IEEE:
Elias Samuel Unekwu, Onoja John "Effect Of Audit Quality on Shareholders’ Confidence in Nigerian Deposit Money Banks: An Empirical Assessment of First Bank of Nigeria PLC" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, vol. 10, no. 1, Jul. 2026

APA:
Elias Samuel Unekwu, Onoja John (2026). Effect Of Audit Quality on Shareholders’ Confidence in Nigerian Deposit Money Banks: An Empirical Assessment of First Bank of Nigeria PLC. Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 10(1).

MLA:
Elias Samuel Unekwu, Onoja John "Effect Of Audit Quality on Shareholders’ Confidence in Nigerian Deposit Money Banks: An Empirical Assessment of First Bank of Nigeria PLC" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, vol. 10, no. 1, Jul. 2026.

BibTeX

@article{1719650,
author = {Elias Samuel Unekwu, Onoja John},
title = {Effect Of Audit Quality on Shareholders’ Confidence in Nigerian Deposit Money Banks: An Empirical Assessment of First Bank of Nigeria PLC},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {10},
number = {1},
pages = {1032-1041},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1719650.pdf},
abstract = {This study examined the effect of audit quality on shareholders’ confidence in Nigerian deposit money banks, using First Bank of Nigeria PLC, Lokoja as a case study. The study was anchored on Agency Theory and Stakeholder Theory, which emphasize the importance of accountability, transparency, and credible financial reporting in enhancing investor trust. The study adopted an ex-post facto research design and relied exclusively on secondary data obtained from the published annual reports and audited financial statements of First Bank PLC covering the period 2015–2024. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The findings revealed that auditor independence has a significant effect on shareholders’ confidence (F = 7.91, p = 0.018). The study also found that audit fees significantly affect shareholders’ confidence (F = 9.32, p = 0.009). Furthermore, audit report timeliness was found to have a significant effect on shareholders’ confidence (F = 12.44, p = 0.002). The results indicate that improvements in audit quality contribute significantly to increased shareholders’ confidence through enhanced credibility, transparency, and reliability of financial reporting. The study concluded that audit quality is a critical determinant of shareholders’ confidence in Nigerian deposit money banks. The study recommends that regulatory authorities should strengthen auditor independence requirements, banks should ensure adequate audit remuneration to support effective audit processes, and management should promote timely release of audited financial statements to enhance investor confidence.},
keywords = {Audit Quality, Auditor Independence, Audit Fees, Audit Report Timeliness, Shareholders’ Confidence, Deposit Money Banks, First Bank PLC.},
month = {July}
}