Corporate Tax Planning, Board Gender Diversity and Financial Performance of Listed Consumer Goods Firms in Nigeria

Governments at all levels are concerned about raising more revenue to finance their expenditure responsibilities, while management and investors are interested in a conducive business environment with a reduced tax burden which will lead to effective and efficient financial performance. The objective of the study is to examine the moderating role of board gender diversity on the relationship between tax planning and firm performance of listed consumer goods firms in Nigeria. The population consists of seventeen (16) listed consumer goods firms in Nigeria Exchange Group during the period 2013-2022. The data gathered was analyzed using the panel least square. The findings from the direct relationship revealed that cash effective tax rate has a significant impact on financial performance. While GAAP effective tax rate has no significant influence on financial performance. The result from the moderating model revealed that the presence of female members on the board increased the positive impact of corporate tax planning on financial performance. The study concludes that tax planning is a catalyst for the financial performance of listed consumer goods firms in Nigeria. The study recommends that the role of female board members on the board should be given priority when it comes to corporate tax planning and financial performance.