EFFECT OF FORENSIC ACCOUNTING TECHNIQUES ON FRAUD DETECTION OF LISTED COMMERCIAL BANKS IN NIGERIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65922/xspdp284Abstract
Forensic accounting in Nigeria's listed commercial banks faces challenges related to cybercrime, insider abuse, and institutional vulnerabilities, which undermine effective fraud detection. This study investigates the effect of interrogation skills, risk assessment, legal compliance focus, fraud-specific investigation, and data-driven analysis on fraud detection efficacy among listed commercial banks in Nigeria. The sample consisted of 300 professionals across 14 banks. Using a quantitative survey design and multiple linear regression, the study examines the influence of the five forensic accounting techniques on fraud detection outcomes. The findings reveal that all five techniques significantly enhance fraud detection, collectively explaining 97% of the variance (R2 = 0.970). Fraud-specific investigation emerged as the strongest predictor (β = 0.748), followed by risk assessment (β = 0.312) and data-driven analysis (β = 0.265). The study recommends that banks invest in targeted capacity building in digital forensics, integrate technology for real-time monitoring, align regulatory frameworks with global standards, and foster public-private partnerships to strengthen financial integrity and mitigate pervasive banking fraud.
Keywords: Forensic accounting techniques, Fraud-specific investigation, Interrogation skills, Legal compliance, Risk assessment
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