EFFECT OF OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE ON ACCOUNTING CONSERVATISM OF LISTED INDUSTRIAL FIRMS IN NIGERIA

Abstract: This research investigated how diverse patterns of ownership shape the practice of accounting conservatism within Nigeria’s listed industrial sector from 2015 to 2024. Ownership was analysed through four dimensions: institutional investors, managerial stakes, foreign participation, and the degree of ownership concentration. Applying a panel multiple regression approach, the study examined four hypotheses. The analysis revealed that institutional, managerial, and foreign ownership each promote higher levels of accounting conservatism, indicating that greater institutional involvement tends to enhance cautious and prudent financial reporting due to their positive interrelation. Conversely, a more concentrated ownership structure was found to undermine accounting conservatism, suggesting that heightened concentration diminishes the extent of prudence in recognising income and expenses. The findings imply that foreign investors are generally better positioned to exert independent scrutiny and discipline over corporate governance, limiting managers’ ability to engage in discretionary reporting behaviour and thereby improving the credibility of earnings figures. Based on these insights, the study recommends that industrial firms actively encourage institutional and foreign investments as mechanisms to deter self-interested accounting choices by management. In contrast, excessive concentration of ownership should be avoided, as it risks distorting proper expense recognition and may foster internal conflicts that could compromise governance effectiveness.