Effect of Auditors' Reports on Shareholders' Wealth Among Listed Firms in Nigeria

This study investigates the effect of auditors' reports on shareholders' wealth among listed firms in Nigeria between 2022 and 2024. In light of the increasing scrutiny of financial reporting practices, the study aims to determine whether audit opinions influence key shareholder wealth indicators such as share price, dividend payout, and earnings per share (ESP). By using quantitative research design, the study analyzes secondary data from 35 purposively selected companies across four sectors such as; industrial goods, consumer goods, financial services, and agriculture. Data were extracted from audited financial statements and analyzed. Panel regression was employed to evaluate the relationship between audit opinion and proxies of shareholders’ wealth.The regression analysis revealed that audit opinion has no statistically significant effect on share price (β = 0.0005, p = 0.337), dividend declared (β = –0.0136, p = 0.234), or earnings per share (ESP) (β = 0.0016, p = 0.419).These findings suggest that investors and stakeholders do not significantly rely on audit opinions when evaluating firm performance.Based on the results, it is concluded that audit reports currently hold limited value in shaping shareholder wealth outcomes in Nigeria. Therefore, recommends that regulatory authorities strengthen audit oversight and ensure timely, high-quality audits to uphold investor trust and enhance capital market integrity.