OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE AND ACCRUAL QUALITY OF LISTED INSURANCE COMPANIES IN NIGERIA

Accrual quality is central to financial reporting in the insurance sector, particularly in Nigeria where listed insurers struggle with weak corporate governance, poor transparency, and weak regulatory enforcement, resulting in unreliable statements that erode investor trust and threaten sector stability. This study examines the link between accrual quality and ownership structure in Nigerian listed insurance companies from 2012 to 2024, highlighting how government, institutional, and foreign ownership influence reporting reliability. While government ownership can align interests, excessive concentration risks entrenchment; institutional investors enhance monitoring and reduce opportunism; and foreign ownership promotes transparency through global disclosure norms. Using 220 firm-year observations and applying the Dechow and Dichev model with control variables such as size, leverage, and growth, the study employs panel regression to test these effects. Results show institutional and foreign ownership generally improve accrual quality, whereas government ownership has mixed outcomes, supporting agency, institutional, and signaling theories. The findings recommend strengthening governance frameworks, empowering institutional investors, and enforcing stricter disclosure by NAICOM to rebuild trust, enhance transparency, and ensure long-term stability of Nigeria’s insurance industry while contributing insights for emerging markets.