IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT (IJEFM )

E-ISSN 2545-5966
P-ISSN 2695-1932
VOL. 10 NO. 2 2025
DOI: 10.56201/ijefm.v10.no2.2025.pg1.28

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Financial Risk and Commercial Banks Soundness: A Panel Data Study of Quoted Commercial Banks in Nigeria

Sirah Patience Barisua

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Abstract

This study focused on the effect of financial risk on commercial banks soundness in Nigeria. The specific objective was to investigate how credit risk, interest rate risk, exchange rate risk, liquidity risk and cash flow risk affect commercial banks soundness. Two multiple regression was formulated to examine the effect of the independent variables on the dependent variables. Commercial banks soundness was measured by asset quality indicator and earnings and profitability indicator. Cross sectional data was sourced from financial statement and annual report of 15 quoted commercial banks in Nigeria. Ordinary least method of unit root and granger causality test was used to investigate the dynamic effect of financial risk on commercial banks soundness. The study found that financial risk can explain 30% variation on asset quality indicator; cash flow risk, credit risk and exchange rate risk have negative effect while interest rate risk and liquidity risk have positive effect on asset quality indicator. The study further found that 59% variation on earnings and profitability indicators can be explain by variation on financial risk, cash flow risk, exchange rate risk and liquidity risk have positive effect while credit risk and interest rate risk have negative effect on earnings and profitability indicator of Nigeria commercial banks. The cointegration test proved that variable is stationary while the granger causality test validates the presence of bi-directional causality. We conclude that financial risk has significant effect on capital adequacy, earnings and profitability indicators but moderate effect on asset quality indicator. We recommend that management of commercial banks should diverse both short and long run strategies to manage financial risk in Nigeria banking environment.

keywords:

Financial Risk, Commercial Banks Soundness, Panel Data Study, Nigeria

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