The Effect of Fraud on Financial Performance of Tier 1 Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria

The study on the effect of fraud on financial performance of tier 1 deposit money banks in Nigeria aimed to determine the effect of fraud on return on assets (ROA) of tier 1 deposit money banks in Nigeria and to determine the effect of fraud on return on equity (ROE) of tier 1 deposit money banks in Nigeria. The study made use of secondary data which are gotten from the central bank statistical bulletin from 2010 to 2024. The study made use of the multiple regression method for the analysis. The study applied credit to private sector as a proxy for financial performance, while the number of fraud cases and the amount recorded were used as proxies for fraud within the period of 2010 to 2024. The results obtained revealed that the coefficient of total amount involved in fraud exhibited a significant positive relationship with return on asset (ROA) and return on equity (ROE) as measured by credit to private sector as a ratio of GDP. In addition, total number of fraud cases coefficient revealed that a relationship existed with financial performance, but the relationship was not statistically significant. The study recommend that tier 1 deposit money banks build strong internal control mechanisms, strengthen legal framework for fraud prevention, and conduct training in the aspect of honesty and integrity, and not only technical skills.