CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER CHARACTERISTICS AND EARNINGS QUALITY OF NIGERIAN LISTED FIRMS

The study sought to determine the effect of Chief Executive Officer Characteristics (Chief Executive Officer financial expertise, Chief Executive Officer Share ownership, Chief Executive Officer Nationality and Chief Executive Officer Tenure) on earnings quality of manufacturing firms listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Four alternative hypotheses were developed revolving around Chief Executive Officer financial expertise, Chief Executive Officer Share ownership, Chief Executive Officer Nationality and Chief Executive Officer Tenure all in relation to earnings quality of manufacturing firms listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The agency and the stewardship theory provided anchorage to the study variables. Quantitative research design was adopted targeting 38 manufacturing firms listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and census was used. Secondary data was gathered from annual reports of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and the respective over the period 2012 – 2019. Panel data methodologies were adopted during analysis supported by STATA version 15 and the findings presented through tables. The findings were that only Chief Executive Officer financial expertise and Chief Executive Officer Nationality had negative but significant effect on earnings quality of manufacturing firms listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The study concludes that Chief Executive Officers do not matter in the Nigeria capital market listed companies.