THE IMPACT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ON THE ACCOUNTING PROFESSION IN NIGERIA’S PUBLIC SECTOR: A CASE STUDY OF ZAMFARA STATE

Abstract

Using Zamfara State as a case study, the study examined how artificial intelligence has affected the accounting profession in Nigeria's public sectors. Its specific goals were to determine how much AI effectively increases the reporting accuracy of public sector accountants, how much AI conductively promotes transparency in accounting professionals' financial reports, and how effective AI is in data analytics for accounting professionals. The study used a field survey research design, and its population consisted of all public sector accountants in Zamfara State. A well-structured questionnaire was used to collect responses from the 50 accountants who were chosen from the entire population using a straightforward and random sample procedure. The data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential analysis. According to the regression study, there was a substantial correlation between artificial intelligence and the accounting profession in Nigeria. The study also finds that artificial intelligence effectively raises accounting experts' reporting accuracy. The study also finds that artificial intelligence encourages accounting professionals to submit their financial information more transparently. According to the study, accounting professionals should receive ongoing training and retraining on how to use AI efficiently for data extraction, quality assurance, and accounts payable and invoicing. Additionally, qualified accountants should learn how to apply AI to extract data from public statements, support fraud analytics, and analyze balance sheets and performance.