CLOUD ACCOUNTING ADOPTION AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM IN THE NIGER DELTA

This study investigated the adoption of cloud accounting and its relationship with the financial performance of hospitality and tourism enterprises in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The research was guided by six objectives, six research questions, and six corresponding null hypotheses tested at a 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a correlational research design. The population comprised 1,248 registered hospitality and tourism enterprises in the Niger Delta region. Using Taro Yamane’s formula, a sample of 302 respondents was drawn through stratified random sampling to ensure adequate representation. The instrument for data collection was a self-structured questionnaire titled Cloud Accounting Adoption and Financial Performance Questionnaire (CAAFPQ). The instrument was validated through expert review, and its reliability was confirmed using the test-retest method, which produced a reliability coefficient of 0.82. Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation and linear regression were used to answer the research questions and test the null hypotheses respectively. Findings revealed that cost reduction, automation and process efficiency, data security, accessibility to accounting information, timeliness of financial reporting, and accuracy of accounting records have significant relationships with financial performance indicators such as Return on Assets (ROA) andReturn on Equity (ROE). The study concluded that cloud accounting adoption plays a critical role in enhancing profitability, operational efficiency, and decision-making in the hospitality and tourism sector of the Niger Delta. It recommended, among others, that enterprises should invest in cloud-based technologies, government should provide supportive digital infrastructure, and managers should encourage continuous ICT training to maximize the benefits of cloud accounting adoption