Human Capital Accounting: Assessing Possibilities for Domestication of Practice in Nigeria

Abstract

The paper aims at Assessing Possibilities for Domestication of HRA Practice in Nigeria, we review historical background of HRA and its current practices around the world in order to highlight some important lessons that cloud be learned by Nigeria as benefit or otherwise of HRA practice to the economy. The study utilized purely secondary data in form of journal articles, theses, dissertations and web-based materials. This paper discovered that, the existing accounting practice lack regard to human resource as an asset and that have significantly discouraged the use of any or a combination of measurement technique(s) in quantifying human resource let alone reporting it in Nigeria, it also established that HRA practice will enhance the completeness and quality of  financial reporting in Nigeria by providing more information on the real value of companies to investors and other stakeholders for rational decision making. Moreover, the article concludes that, it is possible to domesticate HRA practice in Nigeria considering that, both professional and accounting standards are capable of accommodating HRA practices especially with the growth of service sector in the Nigerian economy and the manner in which convergence and harmonization of accounting practice grow stronger by the day. Finally we recommend for domestication of HRA practice in Nigeria through legislation and ensuring complete participation of all stakeholders, also international accounting standard (38) on accounting for intangible assets shall be expanded to cover human resource or there should be a new standard developed to carter for HRA practice in Nigeria.

Keywords: Human Capital, Human Resource Accounting, Cross-national comparison and Investment Decision