AUDIT FIRM ATTRIBUTES AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF COMMERCIAL BANKS IN NIGERIA: EVIDENCE FROM ACCESS BANKS

This is an empirical examination of audit firm attributes and financial performance of Commercial Banks in Nigeria: evidence from Access Banks. In order to achieve the objective of this study, the survey research method was adopted. The study was carried out using survey and ex-post facto designs. The population of this study consisted of 27 staff of Access Banks Plc for the purpose of questionnaire. Judgmental sampling technique was adopted in the study; Taro Yamani statistical formula was used to determine the sample size of 25. Findings reveal that the impact of audit size on the firm's profitability proxied by profit for the period include: reduce tax aggressiveness, enhanced governance risk and it enhances operational efficiency. The impact of audit size on the firm's profitability proxied by profit for the period include: enhanced financial reporting quality, detection and prevention of fraud and enhanced internal control. The influence of audit type on the firm's profitability proxied by profit for the period include: It contribute to firm's profitability by enhancing transparency, unbiased evaluation of a company financial statement and minimize fraud or operational deficiencies The aggregate influence of audit firm attributes (Audit fees, audit size, audit) on the firm's financial performance include: unbiased evaluation of a company financial statement, it enhances operational efficiency and minimize fraud or operational deficiencies. It was therefore recommended among others that policymakers should not base performance on the number of audit committee size as it not statistically significant.