Mountain Top University Library

ABSTRACT
Nigeria is no exception to the issue of corporate scandals and failure of top firms around the
world. Different sectors of the Nigerian economy have recorded significant cases of
corporate failure. Cadbury Nigeria plc. Scandal in 2005 and recent Evans Medical plc.
Hence this study's main objective is to investigate the effect of governance quality on
corporate financial distress among listed firms in the Nigerian industrial sector. The study
employed an ex post facto panel quantitative research design, which involves collecting data
from fifteen (15) listed companies in the Nigerian industrial goods sector over a period of
seven years (7) covering 2014-2020. Data analysis included computation of percentages,
mean and standard deviation as well as logistics regression analysis. It was found that board
independence has no significant impact on corporate financial distress. It was found further
that board meeting has a significant relationship with corporate financial distress. However,
the study revealed that board gender has no significant effect on corporate financial distress.
More findings revealed a significant relationship between board expertise and corporate
financial distress. . The study recommends that the management should appoint more nonexecutive directors on the board and the management should appoint more female directors
on the board.
Keywords: Governance quality, corporate financial distress.