EFFECT OF FORENSIC ACCOUNTING ON FINANCIAL REPORTING QUALITY IN DEPOSIT MONEY BANK IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT This study investigates the effect of forensic accounting on the financial reporting quality of Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria, with emphasis on Zenith Bank Plc, Maiduguri Main Branch. Concerns over rising financial irregularities, fraud, and misstatements in the Nigerian banking sector have raised questions about the credibility and reliability of financial reports. This necessitates the adoption of forensic accounting techniques capable of strengthening transparency, accountability, and fraud detection within the financial reporting system. The main objective of this study is to examine the perceived effectiveness of forensic accounting in enhancing the relevance, reliability, and overall quality of financial statements. The study employed a quantitative research design, and data were obtained from respondents using structured questionnaires. The sample size of 50. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA tests were used to analyze the data and test the research hypotheses. The findings reveal that the adoption of forensic accounting significantly improves fraud detection mechanisms, enhances the accuracy of financial disclosures, and positively influences the overall reporting quality of Deposit Money Banks. The study concludes that forensic accounting is a critical tool for improving financial reporting integrity. It recommends that banks strengthen staff training in forensic investigation techniques to ensure credible, transparent, and dependable financial reporting.