EFFECT OF SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF LISTED TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the effect of sustainability reporting on financial performance of listed telecommunications companies in Nigeria. The study's specific objectives were to assess the effect of renewable energy, community development, and risk management disclosure on performance of listed telecommunications companies in Nigeria. This study adopts an ex-post facto research design. The population of this study consists of the two (2) telecommunications companies (Airtel Africa PLC and MTN Nigeria Communications PLC), listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) between 2017-2023 using Census sampling technique.  This study employed panel data regression techniques using Random Effects (RE) model. The findings obtained from the random effect model revealed that renewable energy has positive but insignificant effect on financial performance of listed telecommunications companies in Nigeria, community development and risk management disclosure positively and significantly affect financial performance of listed telecommunications companies in Nigeria. The study recommends among others that telecommunications companies should continue to pursue these sustainability initiatives as part of their long-term sustainability strategies. The government should encourage these efforts by providing financial incentives, such as subsidies, tax breaks, or low-interest loans, to reduce the upfront costs associated with renewable energy projects among.