Audit Committee Effectiveness And Audit Report Lag In Developing Economy: Nigeria Experience. (2003-2012)

ABSTRACT

Audit committee play very important roles in financial aspects of governance as they help ensure audit quality while at the same time protecting the interest of the investors. This study examines the relationship between audit committee characteristics (independence, size, meetings frequency and financial expertise) and audit report lag. Using a cross sectional design of five (5) quoted banks in the Nigeria stock exchange market covers a period of 2002-20 12. The data for this study were collected from the annual reports and accounts. The collected data were analyzed using relevant diagnostics tests. The study finds out that independence of audit committee has no relationship with the audit report lag. It was also observed that the size has no relationship on audit report lag. Audit expertise has no effect on the audit report lag and the audit report committee frequency of meeting has an effect on the audit report lag. And also, audit committee whose members possess certain level of financial competencies would reduce the likelihood of audit report lag. The study recommends that audit committee members should be encouraged to possess a certain level of financial competencies in order to decrease the likelihood of audit report lag.