OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY REPORTING AND FIRM PROFITABILITY: EVIDENCE FROM NIGERIAN LISTED FIRMS

This study examines the relationship between occupational safety reporting and firm profitability among Nigerian listed firms. Using a panel dataset of 148 firms over the period 2010-2024, comprising 2,220 firm-year observations, we employ panel regression analysis to investigate how occupational safety reporting (OSR) influences firm profitability while controlling for firm size, profitability, leverage, growth opportunities, firm age, and liquidity. The findings reveal a statistically significant positive relationship between occupational safety reporting and firm profitability (β = 0.0332, p < 0.01), indicating that firms that engage in occupational safety reporting experience higher profitability. The control variables show mixed results: firm size and growth opportunities are positively associated with profitability, while leverage is negatively associated. Post-estimation tests confirm the robustness of the model. This study contributes to the corporate social responsibility literature by providing empirical evidence from an emerging market context, demonstrating that investment in occupational safety reporting yields financial benefits.