Determinants of Liquidity Management: Evidence from Nigerian Banking Sector

Abstract

The study examined the determinants of liquidity management in twelve Nigerian banks during 2009–2018. Liquidity ratio (LQR) and deposit to asset ratio (DAR) were used as surrogates for liquidity management. As the potential liquidity management determinant indicators, five bank-specific variables (capital adequacy, size, asset quality, profitability and deposit growth) and three macroeconomic variables (GDP growth rate, inflation rate and interest rate) were used as proxies. Results from balanced fixed effects least square regression analytical technique show that size, profitability, GDP growth rate and inflation rate are important liquidity determinants in Nigerian banks. Specifically, bank size has a positive and significant influence on LQR, while GDP growth rate and inflation rate exhibit a negative and significant relationship with LQR. It further reveals a positive and significant relationship between profitability (ROA) and DAR. It is recommended that banks’ management should focus attention on both bank-specific (size and profitability) and macroeconomic (GDP growth and inflation rate) factors when deciding appropriate liquidity management strategy to be adopted. These four variables have the capacity to influence the profitability, sustainable growth and survival of banks operating in a volatile business environment such as Nigeria.