The effect of governance code compliance on audit committee diversity and corporate voluntary disclosure: Evidence from dynamic panel approach

Abstract

This study examines the impact of regulatory compliance on the relationship between the audit committee diversity and the extent of voluntary disclosure in the Nigerian listed firms. The study investigates 71 company from 10 sectors listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in the period of 2011 – 2017. As we adopt a basic and causality research design, a quantitative approach through generalized method of moment (GMM) panel models was used to analyse the data collected from each company’s annual report and the stock exchange fact books. The result indicates that regulatory compliance has a positive and significant impact on the audit committee and voluntary disclosure. Furthermore, audit committee independence and financial expertise have a positive influence on voluntary disclosure due to the positive interaction effect of regulatory compliance. The main contribution is the introduction of corporate governance regulations as a moderator of this relationship besides using the system Generalized Method of Moment (GMM) approach as a superior estimator. This study provides insights to policymakers and the business firms interested in improving the effectiveness of corporate governance within their countries.