EXCELLENT PRACTICE AND SERVICE DELIVERY IN AUDITING PROCESSES IN SOME SELECTED AUDIT FIRMS IN IBADAN, OYO STATE, NIGERIA

This study examines the impact of excellent auditing practices on service delivery in selected audit firms in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. The primary objective was to determine whether adherence to best auditing practices significantly influences the efficiency and quality of services provided by audit firms. A simple linear regression analysis was conducted using data collected from 80 respondents, including audit professionals from various firms in Ibadan. The results indicate a strong positive relationship between excellent auditing practices and enhanced service delivery (R = 0.808, p < 0.05). The coefficient of determination (R² = 0.653) suggests that excellent auditing practices explain 65.3% of the variance in service delivery, while other external factors account for the remaining 34.7%. The regression coefficient for excellent auditing practices was found to be statistically significant (β = 0.7739, p = 0.001), indicating that a one-unit increase in excellent auditing practices leads to a 12.124-unit improvement in service delivery. The study rejects the null hypothesis (H₀) that excellent auditing practices have no significant effect on service delivery. The study concludes that excellent auditing practices have a statistically significant and positive effect on service delivery. Based on these results, the study recommends continuous professional development, adherence to international standards, investment in technology, and robust internal controls as strategies to further improve service delivery in audit firms.