Corporate Board Educational Qualification Diversity and Performance of Quoted Companies in Nigeria: A Methodological Shift

The board of directors plays an important role in the management of organizations resources. Educational qualification of the directors therefore constitutes a major consideration for appointing members of the board as this is important for decision making. This study examined the relationship between board educational qualification diversity and performance of 53 manufacturing companies quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange between 2006 and 2015.Descriptive and explanatory research designs were adopted. Secondary data used were sourced from the annual reports of the companies under consideration. The method of analysis was descriptive and inferential statistics. The multiple regression results did not establish any significant relationship between board educational qualification diversity and performance of quoted companies in Nigeria. However, the results show significant relationships between board educational qualification diversity and performance metrics of Tobin’s Q and ROA when controlled for board size and firm leverage. This study recommends that relevant stakeholders involved in board composition should always endeavour to consider and harness value enhancing factors in the selection and appointment of the members of corporate board for optimal performance.