DIGITALIZED ACCOUNTING PRACTICES AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF MDAs IN NIGERIA: MODERATING EFFECT OF INSTITUTIONAL QUALITY

The public sector has long struggled with issues such as inefficiency, lack of transparency, and widespread corruption. In Nigeria, government agencies are increasingly adopting digitalized accounting practices to enhance efficiency and reduce corruption. However, the impact of institutional quality on the effectiveness of these practices in ensuring accountability in the public sector remains unclear. This study therefore, examines the moderating effect of institutional quality on the relationship between digitalized accounting practice and accountability of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in Nigeria. Utilizing a survey research design, data were collected from 233 auditors across various ranks within the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to assess the individual and joint moderating effects of institutional quality. The results indicate that institutional quality significantly moderates the relationship between digital accounting practices and accountability in MDAs. Specifically, the interaction of institutional quality with digital tax administration (p = 0.012), digital treasury management (p < 0.001), and digital financial management (p< 0.001) demonstrated a positive significant effect on accountability. However, the joint moderating effect of institutional quality was marginally significant (p = 0.057). The study concludes that institutional quality significantly influences the relationship between specific components of digitalized accounting practices and accountability. It recommends among others that the National Assembly develops comprehensive regulatory frameworks that support digital innovations and provides standards for their implementation, including guidelines for integrating digital accounting systems into existing processes to ensure consistency and reliability.