Board Attributes and Income Tax Disclosure of Commercial Banks in Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose: This study focused on the attributes of boards of directors and IAS 12 income tax disclosure, particularly within listed Nigerian commercial banks. The study posed three research questions and formulated three hypotheses. Methodology: The study employed a quantitative design with a panel dataset. It encompassed a population of 24 listed commercial banks, and a purposive sampling method was used to select a sample of six banks. Data spanning a decade, from 2012 to 2021, pertaining to these six banks, were gathered. Diagnostic tests conducted to assess the data's quality confirmed its lack of collinearity and presence of balanced data. The mean, standard deviation, and panel least square regression were employed in analyzing and testing the hypotheses, using EViews 9v. Findings: Findings revealed that board size had no significant impact on IAS 12 income tax disclosure at p = 0.0795, whereas board independence exhibited a significant impact on IAS 12 income tax disclosure at p = 0.0036. The study also revealed that board diversity, encompassing factors such as gender, nationality, age, and qualification, had a noteworthy effect on IAS 12 income tax disclosure at p = 0.0445. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Recommendations stemming from these findings included increasing board diversity and independence to enhance its impact on accounting policy disclosure and tax laws application, recognizing the crucial role of board independence in board composition, and actively encouraging diverse boards to foster inclusive corporate governance.