Research Journal of Finance and Accounting www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1697 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2847 (Online) Vol.12, No.6, 2021 26 Corporate Board Attributes, Bank Audit Quality, Bank Performance and Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria Bweseh Benjamin Musa 1* Munura Maihankali 2* Ajiduku Kubuza 3* Saman Udi Polycarp 4* 1.Department of Accounting and Finance, University of Agriculture Makurdi, P.M.B 2373, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria 2.School of Computing, Robert Gordon University, AB107QB Garthdee Road, Garthdee House, Aberdeen, United Kingdom 3.Department of Accounting, Federal University Wukari, P.M.B 1020 Katsina-Ala Road, Wukari Taraba State, Nigeria 4.Department of Accounting, Federal University Wukari P.M.B 1020 Katsina-Ala Road, Wukari Taraba State, Nigeria Abstract Nigeria Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) are the life wires of the Nigerian economy as their contribution to the development and growth cannot be overemphasized; This paper examines corporate board attributes (CBR), bank audit quality (BAQ), and bank performance and DMBs with the aid of an ex-post facto design and sample of listed DMBs as at 2019. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed in the analysis with the use of statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS, version 23.0). The study revealed that bank board size (BBS) has a negative but significant bank board composition (BBC) and Bank Chief Executive Officer Duality (CEOD) has a positive and significant impact on DMBs and concluded that the implications of CBR (BBC, BBS, and CEOD) are important indicators of BAQ in evaluating the performance of DMBs. One key recommendation was that the position of the CEO as the chairman of the board should be discouraged among DMBs, and the board size should be kept relatively large so as to reach board conclusions easily and fast, also, to enable and strengthen quality audit among DMBs. Keywords: Corporate Board, Audit Quality, Board Size, Board Composition, Chief, CEO Duality, performance, Deposit Money Banks DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/12-6-03 Publication date:March 31 st 2021 1. Introduction The advocacy of good corporate governance in DMBs is attributed to the adequate and faithful presentation of financial statements by the board of directors to stakeholders which is predicated upon the audit quality of the financial statements. When the audit quality is compromised, it seems natural to expect that unfaithfulness will be common in the financial reporting system. The persistent occurrence of corporate scandals and corporate failures of the modern era seems to be the natural aftermath of unfaithful financial reporting and the absence of quality audits (Adeyemi and Fagbemi, 2010). Thus, Nigeria DMBs has witnessed various degrees of corporate scandals and corporate failures even when it is adjudged by a corporate financial diagnosis like audit, monitoring, and supervision to ensure a sound and prudent system has affected stakeholders’ wealth and by extension hurt the entire economy. The liquidation of DMBs in Nigeria had its root from audit failure, imprudent guidelines, lenders, creditors, and investors attributes (Obiyo and Ezenwa, 2012). The questionable role of bank auditor's in ensuring the quality, reliability, and credibility of the financial report has been a debate; the reason had been that auditor's independence from their clients can be compromised through poor regulation and supervision of the auditing practice. Emphasis on the interest in the corporate governance practices of DMBs in relation to auditing and accountability has increased following the high-profile collapses in the past decade characterized by fraud. The code of corporate governance for DMBs in Nigeria specified that there should be an external auditor of high integrity independence and competence which stems from the need that the various changes in accounting, financial reporting, and auditing were all designed to provide protection to investors. Auditing provides the needed assurance for investors when relying on audited financial statements while Corporate governance concerns all parties interested in the wellbeing of firms to ensure that managers and other insiders take measures or adopt mechanisms that promote accountability. 1.1 Conceptual Review Bank Corporate Board Bank corporate board comprises the governing body of banks who is responsible for the setting of rules and regulations that affect the operation, and management of Banks specifying the distribution of responsibilities and rights among stakeholders (Gupta, 2015). Bank corporate board is attributed to; Board size, board composition,