CORPORATE BOARD ATTRIBUTES AND ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING QUALITY OF LISTED OIL AND GAS COMPANIES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of board attributes on environmental reporting quality in listed
Nigerian oil and gas firms over the period of 2015–2024. The study used secondary data extracted
from the audited annual reports and accounts of seven sampled companies from total population of
eleven listed oil and gas firms on the Nigeria exchange group. The study employed explanatory
research design and after running the OLS regression, a robustness test was conducted to test the
validity of statistical inferences, a multiple regression was also employed. The study Uses Global
Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standard 13 to measure environmental reporting quality. Board attribute is
proxied by board independence, board size, board gender diversity and board meetings. The findings
reveal that board independence, board size, and board gender diversity have statistically significant
positive effects on environmental reporting quality. Conversely, board meeting frequency shows a
positive but statistically insignificant relationship. These results demonstrate that board composition
and diversity are more consequential for environmental transparency than the sheer number of board
meetings. The study recommended that the management of the companies should strengthen board
independence, promote gender diversity through a “comply-or-explain” framework, and shifting
regulatory focus from meeting quantity to agenda quality.