The board structure of an organization gives an overview of the standard of such organization, which also influences its public image. This study attempts to evaluate the role board structure plays in curtailing earnings management practices in Nigerian companies. This study sampled the data of 137 quoted companies in Nigeria for a period of 8 years (2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010). Earnings management was measured using the magnitude of the discretionary accruals as estimated by the performance matched modified Jones model. The ordinary least squares (OLS) regression technique was used to measure the research model as well as the Pearson moment correlation coefficient. The study shows that there is a significant relationship between board structure and earnings management practices in Nigeria. The study shows that there is a negative significant relationship between board size, gender, and board composition with earnings management; also, there is a positive significant relationship between board meeting and earnings management practices in Nigeria. There is a positive nonsignificant relationship between the presence of a remuneration committee and the dualization of CEO and chairman positions with earnings management practices in Nigeria. This study recommends that regulators at all levels should enforce the preparation and publication of financial reports by companies operating in Nigeria.

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Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the role of selected sociodemographic variables in the ethical decision-making (EDM) process of professional accountants in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach The study obtained data from 329 professional accountants with the aid of a structured questionnaire containing four dilemmatic ethical vignettes. The data were analysed using Kendall correlation, Kruskal–Wallis and Jonckheere–Terpstra tests. Findings The results revealed that upbringing, especially parental discipline, and education are significant sociodemographic determinants of EDM. Religion and experience played little or no significant role in predicting accountants’ EDM in the face of ethical dilemmas. Research limitations/implications The study used a questionnaire to measure its variables, which may bias and somewhat inflate the findings. Hence, caution should be applied regarding its conclusion. Practical implications The evidence in this study could stimulate policy change and review to include a separate ethics course in the accounting education curriculum, which could enhance the ethics training of future accountants. This is important for countries like Nigeria, where no provision is made for a discrete ethics course in the curriculum for accounting under-graduate education. Social implications The study draws attention to the fact that ethical conduct among professionals and in society could be enhanced through proper upbringing and formal education. Originality/value The study adds some uniqueness in focusing on professional accountants in Nigeria, a developing country with high corruption profile and weak government institutions, and, as such, contributes to the limited research output on accounting ethics in developing countries.

One of the least studied topics in comparative budgeting is how governments budget during economic and boom and bust cycles. Theory and past evidence suggest that national budgets of poorer countries are made and remade continuously over these periods. Case material from Nigeria as well as supplemental information from Ghana and Kenya illustrate the principal features of the persistence, types, and sequence of such repetitive budgeting. The experience of the three countries in boom and bust budgeting has considerable implications both for a theory of comparative budgeting and for national budget management and policy in Subsaharan Africa specifically.

This study investigates the effect of Ease of Doing Business Index (EDBI) on Return on Investment (ROI). The study employs a cross-sectional survey design covering five years from 2015 to 2019. The sample is 47 registered companies with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which is the most representative of the organised private sector group in Nigeria. The study adopts descriptive and linear regression statistical analysis. Findings show a statistically significant negative effect of Government policy continuity. The government procurement process, Raw materials availability and Quality of workforce show adverse effects. Traffic and transportation management, power supply and Security infrastructure show insignificant effect on ROI. Hence, findings indicate that Government procurement process is inimical to ease of doing business in Nigeria despite the government improvement efforts. Since government efforts are insufficient, the World Bank should incorporate private sector ideals into EDBI to create a synergy a robust EDBI. Keywords: Ease of Doing Business, ease of doing business index, return on investment, investors, World Bank.      Ease of Doing Business Index: Sebuah Analisis terhadap Pandangan Praktis InvestorAbstrak: Penelitian ini menginvestigasi pengaruh Ease of Doing Business Index (EDBI) terhadap Return on Investment (ROI). Penelitian ini menggunakan desain survei cross-sectional dari tahun 2015 sampai dengan tahun 2019. Sampel penelitian ini adalah 47 perusahaan yang terdaftar di Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Penelitian ini menggunakan analisis deskriptif dan statistik regresi linear. Dari berbagai elemen EDBI, temuan dari penelitian ini menunjukkan adanya pengaruh negatif yang signifikan antara keterlanjutan kebijakan pemerintah terhadap ROI. Proses pengadaan pemerintah, ketersediaan bahan mentah, dan kualitas tenaga kerja menunjukkan pengaruh berkebalikan dengan ROI. Lalu lintas dan manajemen transportasi, supply listrik, dan infrastruktur keamanan menunjukkan pengaruh tidak signifikan terhadap ROI. Usaha pemerintah dalam meningkatkan proses pengaadaan pemerintah masih belum memadai karena masih kecilnya pengaruh terhadap EDBI Nigeria. World Bank sebaiknya memasukkan pengaruh sektor privat dalam indikator EDBI sebagai upaya menciptakan sinergi antara pemerintah dan sektor privat untuk peningkatan EDBI dan dampaknya pada ekonomi. Kata kunci: Ease of Doing Business, indeks kemudahan berbisnis, pengembalian investasi, investor, Bank Dunia