Abstract

The central thrust of this study is to examine the effect of board size, board composition and board Meetings on the financial performance of listed consumer goods in Nigeria over the period of ten years from 2006 to 2015. The study uses expo factor research design and purposive sampling technique (filter) as research design and sampling technique. The population of the study is twenty (20) listed consumer goods companies in Nigeria and a sample size of ten (10) companies were studied. The data was analysed by means of descriptive statistics, Correlation and Regression analysis using STATA (version 11). The descriptive result reveals that return on assets has minimum and maximum values of -0.0400 and 0.4700 respectively and the mean and standard deviation of 0.1199 and 0.1038 respectively. The study made use of secondary data generated from annual report and account of the sampled companies through Nigeria Stock Exchange fact book. The findings include the following: Board size is negatively significant at 1% with T. Value of _2.70, Board composition is positively significant at 1% with T- Value of 2.15 and finally, Board meeting is negatively insignificant with T- Value of _1.45. This study concluded that smaller board size are more effective than larger board size, good proportion of board composition is a good factor to enhance ROA of listed consumer goods companies in Nigeria and frequent board meeting will have negative effect on the ROA of listed consumer goods companies in Nigeria because it will limits the chances for external directors to conduct a meaningful oversight over management. Hence the study recommends among others; That smaller board size should be used in listed consumer goods companies in Nigeria to enhance their ROA, the listed consumer goods companies should continue to maintain good proportion of independence directors. The listed consumer goods companies in Nigeria should discourage unnecessary board meetings to allow board of directors perform other oversight function on the management so as to enhance the ROA of listed consumer goods companies in Nigeria.

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