THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND THE COST OF THE CAPITAL OF THE COMPANIES LISTED ON THE NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE

This study is aimed at analyzing the influence of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on the Cost of the Capital (CoC) of the companies quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). The annual panel data of the 32 companies quoted on the NSE pertaining to the period from 2005 to 2019, were judgmentally selected. The Thomson Reuthers Index was used as the measure for CSR, whereas the Cost of Equity (CoE) and the Cost of Debt (CoD) were used as the measure for CoC. The findings revealed the existence of a positive/negative nonsignificant relationship, on the one hand, and a positive/negative significant relationship as well, on the other, between CSR and CoC. The results obtained are supportive of the findings found in scholars’ works, especially those in the developed countries in which this aspect has extensively been explored. To conclude, the companies that spend on CSR have a better chance of accessing capital at a better and low cost. Based absolutely on the findings, the researcher advocates that investment should incessantly be made in the issues concerning CSR, given the fact that, if consistently made, such investment may ease access to funds at a reduced cost.