423 O. J. Ilaboya, PhD Associate Professor of Accounting University of Benin Faculty of Management Sciences Department of Accounting, Edo State Nigeria E-mail: ofuanwhyte@gmail.com, ojwhyte@yahoo.com G. Ohiokha, Phd Scholar Federal Polytechnic Department of Accountancy, Edo State Nigeria E-mail: Ohiokhagodwin23@gmail.com M. O. Izevbekhai, Phd Scholar Federal Polytechnic Department of Accountancy, Edo State Nigeria E-mail: mondayizevbekhai@yahoo.com DETERMINANTS OF BOARD SIZE AND COMPOSITION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF NIGERIAN AND MALAYSIAN QUOTED COMPANIES UDK / UDC: 65.012.328:65.017 JEL klasifikacija / JEL classification: G32, G34, L25 Prethodno priopćenje / Preliminary communication Primljeno / Received: 7. ožujka 2016. / March 7, 2016 Prihvaćeno za tisak / Accepted for publishing: 7. prosinca 2016. / December 7, 2016 Abstract The broad objective of the study is to examine the determinants of board size and composition in Nigerian and Malaysian quoted banks.The population of the study is the universe of banks quoted on the Nigerian and Malaysian Stock Exchanges as at 31 st December 2014. A sample of fourteen (14) banks for Nigeria and a sample of eighteen (18) banks for Malaysia were purposively selected for the study. The study employed panel regression technique based on the quality of unbiasedness, increased data point, and control for individual heterogeneity. To test the accuracy of the model, we employed the classical regression assumption tests of normality, heteroskedasticity, serial correlation and multicollinearity. The study revealed a significant relationship between firm size and board size and composition.The impact of firm size on board size was positive in the case of Nigeria but negative in the Malaysian case. The impact on board composition is positive in the case of Malaysia but negative in the Nigerian case. The