Assessment of Record-Keeping and Financial Reporting in Small-Scale Agribusinesses in Plateau State

Financial record-keeping and reporting are essential management tools that enable agribusiness operators to monitor enterprise performance, access credit, meet regulatory obligations, and plan for future investments. In Plateau State, in Nigeria's North Central geopolitical zone, small-scale agribusinesses including vegetable farms, food processors, and animal feed suppliers operate largely outside formal financial reporting systems, limiting their access to institutional support. This study assesses the state of record-keeping and financial reporting practices in small-scale agribusinesses in Plateau State. A sample of 60 agribusiness operators was selected using stratified sampling from Jos, Barkin Ladi, and Shendam areas, stratified by enterprise type. Structured questionnaires covering accounting system type, frequency of financial statement preparation, asset valuation, and tax compliance were administered. Descriptive analysis and comparison across enterprise types were applied. Findings reveal that 68 percent of operators maintain only basic cash receipt records without corresponding expense tracking. Profit and loss statements were prepared by only 22 percent, exclusively among enterprises with secondary or tertiary-educated operators. Asset registers were maintained by fewer than 10 percent of respondents. Tax registration was reported by 31 percent, with most referencing FIRS registration without corresponding filing compliance. The study concludes that record-keeping capacity gaps severely constrain the credit and regulatory access of Plateau State agribusinesses and recommends training programmes jointly delivered by Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria and state agricultural institutions. Keywords: record-keeping, financial reporting, agribusiness, Plateau State, small-scale enterprise