ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF LISTED MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN NIGERIA AN EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE OF DANGOTE CEMENT PLC

This study empirically examined the impact of accounting policies on the financial performance of listed manufacturing firms in Nigeria, using Dangote Cement Plc as a case study. The specific objectives were to assess the effects of cash flows, inventories, and receivables accounting policies on Profit for the Year (PFY). The research adopted an ex- post facto design, utilizing secondary data extracted from the company’s annual reports from 2015 to 2024. Data analysis was performed using simple linear regression. The findings revealed that Cash flows accounting policies have a positive but statistically insignificant effect on the financial performance, specifically Profit for the Year (PFY), of Dangote Cement Plc from 2015–2024. And inventories accounting policies have a positive but statistically insignificant effect on the financial performance of Dangote Cement Plc from 2015–2024. Findings revealed that receivables accounting policies have a positive but statistically insignificant effect on the financial performance of Dangote Cement Plc from 2015–2024. Also there is a positive but statistically insignificant impact between accounting policies (cash flows, inventories, and receivables) on PFY for Dangote Cement Plc from 2015–2024. The study concludes that sound accounting policies are foundational for reliable reporting but their direct impact on profitability may be moderated by other strategic and operational factors. It is recommended that manufacturing firms enhance the consistency, transparency, and disclosure of their key accounting policies. Furthermore, companies should strengthen internal controls, invest in continuous professional development for finance staff, and ensure rigorous adherence to IFRS to maximize the beneficial impact of these policies on financial outcomes.