Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Zero-Based Budgeting has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with profitability of listed firms. This growing interest reflects the recognition that zero-based budgeting does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Selected Microfinance Banks in Nigeria.

Selected Microfinance Banks 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

Despite a growing body of literature on zero-based budgeting, there remains limited consensus on the precise nature of its relationship with profitability of listed firms, particularly within Selected Microfinance Banks in Nigeria. Many organizations continue to make decisions about zero-based budgeting without a clear, evidence-based understanding of how those decisions ultimately affect profitability of listed firms. This gap between practice and empirical understanding is the central problem this study seeks to address.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Zero-Based Budgeting on profitability of listed firms in Selected Microfinance Banks in Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which zero-based budgeting influences profitability of listed firms within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with zero-based budgeting in relation to profitability of listed firms.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing zero-based budgeting in order to improve profitability of listed firms.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of zero-based budgeting on profitability of listed firms in Selected Microfinance Banks in Nigeria?
2. To what extent does zero-based budgeting influence profitability of listed firms within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with zero-based budgeting in relation to profitability of listed firms?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize zero-based budgeting in order to improve profitability of listed firms?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to a range of stakeholders. For policymakers and regulators, the findings offer evidence to guide the design of frameworks that support healthier outcomes around profitability of listed firms. For managers and practitioners within Selected Microfinance Banks in Nigeria, the study provides practical insight into how zero-based budgeting can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on accounting by extending existing knowledge into a specific empirical context, and offers a reference point for future researchers.

1.6 Scope of the Study

In terms of scope, this study confines itself to Selected Microfinance Banks in Nigeria, focusing specifically on how zero-based budgeting relates to profitability of listed firms within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.