Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

In recent years, Related Party Transactions has emerged as a critical factor shaping investor confidence across organizations operating in and around Selected Public Universities in Nigeria. As institutions grapple with the pressures of globalization, regulatory reform, and shifting stakeholder expectations, understanding how related party transactions relates to investor confidence has become an important area of both scholarly and practical concern.

Selected Public Universities in Nigeria presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While related party transactions is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on investor confidence within Selected Public Universities in Nigeria remains sparse and, in places, contradictory. This lack of localized, rigorous evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers to know with confidence whether current approaches to related party transactions are helping or hindering investor confidence — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Related Party Transactions on investor confidence in Selected Public Universities in Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which related party transactions influences investor confidence within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with related party transactions in relation to investor confidence.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing related party transactions in order to improve investor confidence.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of related party transactions on investor confidence in Selected Public Universities in Nigeria?
2. To what extent does related party transactions influence investor confidence within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with related party transactions in relation to investor confidence?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize related party transactions in order to improve investor confidence?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Beyond its academic contribution to the field of accounting, this study has practical value for management teams within Selected Public Universities in Nigeria seeking to understand how related party transactions translates into measurable outcomes around investor confidence. It is equally useful to students and future researchers looking for a localized empirical reference on this relationship.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to an examination of Related Party Transactions and its relationship with investor confidence within the context of Selected Public Universities in Nigeria. It reflects a BSc-level scope of analysis and relies on data and perspectives available within that scope; generalizing the findings beyond this specific context should therefore be done with appropriate caution.