Corporate Reporting as a Strategic Tool for Achieving Business Success in the 21st Century in Nigeria: How Valid is the Sustainability Hypothesis?

The landscape of corporate reporting has undergone substantial transformation in the 21st century, particularly in emerging markets such as Nigeria, where business entities face mounting pressures to balance financial performance with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations. Corporate reporting has evolved from a purely financial disclosure mechanism to a comprehensive strategic tool encompassing sustainability metrics that reflect stakeholder expectations and societal demands. The fundamental question underlying this literature review concerns the validity of the sustainability hypothesis the assertion that rigorous corporate sustainability reporting serves as a legitimate and effective instrument for achieving long-term business success in the Nigerian context.
The concept of sustainability reporting as a strategic business tool has gained prominence following increased global emphasis on responsible business practices, particularly following the 2015 Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In Nigeria, this evolution has been shaped by regulatory developments such as the 2021 Climate Change Act and growing investor sophistication regarding non-financial performance metrics. However, empirical validation of whether sustainability reporting genuinely translates into measurable business success remains contested in academic and practitioner circles, particularly in emerging market contexts where institutional infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and market maturity differ substantially from developed economies.

CORPORATE REPORTING, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), sustainability reporting

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