Audit Quality and Financial Market Stability of Listed Firms in Nigeria

This study examines the contribution of audit quality to financial market stability in Nigeria using panel data from 151 listed firms over the period 2011–2025. Employing ex-post facto research design and panel regression techniques, we investigate how various dimensions of audit quality influence market stability while controlling for firm-specific characteristics, including firm size, industry type, leverage, growth opportunities, auditor type, board size, and board independence. Our findings reveal that audit quality significantly enhances financial market stability through improved information transparency, reduced information asymmetry, and strengthened investor confidence. Specifically, Big Four auditor presence, audit tenure moderation, and auditor industry specialization demonstrate positive and statistically significant relationships with market stability indicators. The study contributes to the limited empirical evidence on the audit-market stability nexus in emerging economies and provides crucial policy implications for regulators, practitioners, and market participants in Nigeria's evolving financial landscape.