EFFECTS OF UNETHICAL ACCOUNTING PRACTICE ON FINANCIAL REPORTING QUALITY IN NIGERIA (CASE STUDY OF UNITED BANK OF AFRICAN)

This study investigates the effects of unethical accounting practices on financial reporting quality in the Nigerian banking system, with a specific focus on United Bank for Africa (UBA) as a case study. The research aims to examine the prevalence of unethical accounting practices, assess their impact on various dimensions of financial reporting quality, evaluate the potential consequences for stakeholders and capital markets. The study employed survey research design. The population of the study consists of management and employees of the three branches of United Bank for Africa, located in Ado Ekiti. This study adopted the convenience sampling technique to select 50 employees from the three selected bank branches. The questionnaire was utilized as the research instrument to elicit the necessary primary data for the study. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the collected data. The chi square was used to test the hypotheses. The findings revealed a prevalence of earnings management techniques, creative accounting practices, and fraudulent financial reporting within the Nigerian banking system, driven by factors such as pressure to meet profitability targets, weak corporate governance structures, and inadequate internal controls. The study concludes by emphasizing the importance of ethical conduct, robust governance mechanisms, and effective regulatory oversight in promoting transparency, accountability, and public trust in the Nigerian banking system. Recommendations are provided, including strengthening corporate governance and internal controls, enhancing regulatory enforcement, promoting ethical education and training, encouraging stakeholder engagement and transparency, and conducting further research.