In this study the evidence over the existence and magnitude of the assumed negative relation between accounting conservatism and firm performance in Nigeria was examined. Data from the annual financial statements of firms under the Consumer Goods sectoral classification on the Nigerian Stock exchange was used. The hypotheses were tested using the panel least squares while assuming the fixed effects. Opposed to the assumed negative relation, findings from the study suggest that accounting conservatism has a positive but non-significant effect on firm performance. This implies that firms in the Nigerian Consumer Goods sector do not practice accounting conservatism and hence produce low financial reporting quality. This is given the absence of accruals quality achieved when the reported information reported is credible and free of error and bias, intentional or otherwise. The study recommends that firms in Nigeria should be penalised if reported information are found to incomplete and opaque not free of error and bias.

This study examines the effect of audit quality on share prices of Nigerian oil and gas firms using the regression and covariance analyses. Findings from the regression anlysis suggests that the composition of the audit committee and auditor type has significant effect on the market prices of quoted firms. There is a positive and significant relationship between audit committee composition and share prices. The covariance analysis suggests that while auditor type (BIG4/NONBIG4), auditor independence, and composition of the audit committee have a positive and significant relationship with market price of shares, tenure of external auditors has a negative relationship with the market price of shares. The implication of the findings is that audit quality will enhance reported earnings and hence the share market prices. The study recommends that firms should strive to associate with the BIG4 external auditors in Nigeria as such an association could enhance the credibility of the audit process and by extension their share prices; regulatory authorities should discourage joint audit and non-audit services to firms because it could threaten the independence of external auditors. Regulatory agencies should also present distinct statements on the tenure of the external auditors to be clearly stated in annual reports. This is because a long attachment between the external auditors and a client may threaten the independence of the external auditors.