Research Journal of Finance and Accounting www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1697 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2847 (Online) Vol 3, No 1, 2012 6 Corporate Social Responsibility and Profitability of Nigeria Banks - A Causal Relationship Amole Bilqis Bolanle Department of Management and Accounting, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria Tel: +234 803 472 1305 E-mail:amolebb@gmail.com Adebiyi, Sulaimon Olanrewaju (Corresponding author) Department of Economics and Financial studies Fountain University Osogbo, Nigeria. Tel: +234 803 368 2722 E-mail: lanre18april@gmail.com Awolaja Ayodeji Muyideen Department of Economics and Financial studies Fountain University Osogbo, Nigeria. Tel: +234 806 479 1631 E-mail: ayodejiawolaja@yahoo.ca Abstract The rising cost of running business organizations in Nigeria and the lack of basic infrastructure, as well as divergent views in the literature regarding the type of relationship that exists between CSR and Corporate performance have necessitated this paper that examined the relationship between corporate social responsibility and profitability in the Nigerian banking industry using First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Plc as the case study. Annual reports formed the secondary source of data collection where the CSR expenditure and profit after tax for the period of 2001-2010 was used for the computational experiment. The data collected for this study were analysed using correlation and regression analysis. The hypothesis formulated was tested. The results of the regression analysis as showed the impact of corporate social responsibility expenditure on profitability in Nigeria banks which revealed (Beta= 0.945, p<.01). This means that for every unit change increment in the CSR expenditure will lead to .945 or 95% increase in the profit after tax of the company. The R-square was 0.893 which shows that CSR accounted for 89.3% of the variation in the profit after tax of First Bank Plc. The study concluded that there is positive relationship between banks CSR activities and profitability. The implications of this study include the need for banks to demonstrate high level of commitment to corporate social responsibility based on stakeholder theory in order to enhance their profitability in the long run. Keywords: CSR; banking; profitability; causal; stakeholder theory; Nigeria 1. Introduction Banking operations all over the world are technological driven, right from the door that customer passes through to enter the banking hall to the recording of the transactions between the customer and the bank or with third party (ies) requires one technology or the other which must be powered with electricity. Due to epileptic power supply in Nigeria, most organizations have to provide alternative power supply rather the relatively cheaper National grid (PHCN). This and some other factors have been militating against efficient running of business organization in Nigeria. As they have to factor the cost of fueling the alternative source of power which is always costly among others (like LPFO/Black oil, AGO/diesel and GAS) into their factors of production or operations as in the case of banks. However, in the face of the above challenges for banks in Nigeria, the practise of corporate social responsibility as a concept entails the practice whereby corporate entities voluntarily integrate both social and environment upliftment in their business philosophy and operations. A business enterprise is primarily established to create value by producing goods and services which society demands. It therefore seems that the practices of CSR will further pose a burden on the financial performance of banks. This has made most observers perceive Nigeria business environment has been hostile.