INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS) ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS |Volume VII Issue III March 2023 Page 789 www.rsisinternational.org Effect of Big Data on Accounting Information Quality in Selected Firms in Nigeria Falana, Gbenga Ayodele 1 , Igbekoyi, Olusola Esther (PhD) 2 , Dagunduro, Muyiwa Emmanuel 3 1,3 Department of Accounting Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria 2 Department of Accounting Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria Received: 10 March 2023; Accepted: 20 March 2023; Published: 14 April 2023 ABSTRACT Nigerian Firms have mostly been facing the challenge of disseminating accounting information that would be readily available to users at the expected time. This situation has posed challenges to the quality of accounting information. This study, therefore, investigated the effect of big data on accounting information quality in selected firms in Nigeria. The study specifically focused on data volume, data variety, and data velocity as it affects the timeliness of accounting information. The study adopted a survey research design. The population of the study comprised 157 firms listed on the Nigeria exchange group as of 31 st December 2021. A sample size of 20 firms was selected using the purposive sampling method. The study used 100 respondents which represented 5 respondents from each firm. Data were collected from primary sources using a well-structured questionnaire. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. The results revealed that data volume, data variety, and data velocity have a positive significant effect on the timeliness of accounting information. The study concluded that the attribute of data used by firms significantly affects the timeliness of accounting information disseminated. The study recommended that firms should prioritize the management of big data to improve their accounting information. Keywords: Big data, Data velocity, Data variety, Data volume, Quality of Accounting Information, Timeliness. JEL Classification: L86, M41 INTRODUCTION Globally, the demand for quality accounting information by stakeholders has led to the development of essential attributes that are useful in accounting. To meet this demand, accountants must adhere to the standard of relevance and timeliness in financial reporting (Chartered Finance Analyst [CFA], 2022). While relevance is the most fundamental, timeliness further enhances its importance (Ahmet, 2019). Based on this, regulatory agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of the United States of America (USA) and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), emphasize the need for the timely release of corporate financial reports (Efobi & Okougbo, 2014). In Nigeria, a total of 44 firms quoted on the Nigerian Exchange Group may face sanctions for failing the timeline in a rendition of 2020 audited financial results (Nnorom, 2021). While current academic studies (e.g., Mailafia & Adamu, 2021; Ohaka & Akani, 2017) have focused on other areas that might impact accounting information quality, little research has been done on the role of big data in improving the quality of accounting information, especially timeliness in financial reporting. This study attempts to bridge this gap in the literature. Accounting information quality is directly related to accounting data and methods (Kanakriyah, 2016). One peculiar feature of accounting data is that it is structured. This makes it rigid and less accessible, while difficult to use for estimations such as depreciation, risk assessment, and budgeting (Ibrahim et al., 2021). This above peculiarity has been its limitations.