European Journal of Accounting, Finance and Investment

Effect Of Accounting Practices On Revenue Generation In Nigerian Local Government

JONAH Ngbomowa Moses PhD

Department of Accounting, Faculty of Administration and Management, Rivers State University, Nkpolu Port Harcourt Rivers State, Nigeria

NWABA Evans PhD

Department of Accounting, Faculty of Administration and Management, Rivers State University, Nkpolu Port Harcourt Rivers State, Nigeria.

CHINDA Innocent Ezinwene PhD

Department of Accounting, Faculty of Administration and Management, Rivers State University, Nkpolu Port Harcourt Rivers State, Nigeria

Keywords: Accounting Practices, Budgetary Control, Internal Audit, Revenue Generation, Local Government, Nigeria

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Abstract

This study examined the effect of accounting practices on revenue generation in Nigerian local governments, with a focus on budgetary control and internal audit practices as dimensions of independent variables and revenue collection efficiency and revenue growth as dimension of dependent variables. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design and targeted finance and accounting staff in selected local governments in Rivers State. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 169 respondents, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The reliability of the instrument was ensured through Cronbach’s Alpha, and the collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that both budgetary control and internal audit practices have significant positive effects on revenue collection efficiency and revenue growth. The regression results showed that accounting practices cooperatively explain over 53–56% of the variation in revenue generation, indicating that they are critical determinants of local government financial performance. The study concludes that effective accounting practices enhance transparency, accountability, and resource utilization, leading to improved revenue mobilization. Based on these findings, the study recommends amongst other that local governments strengthen budgetary control and internal audit mechanisms, adopt modern accounting technologies, and provide capacity building for finance staff.

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