Corporate governance and financial performance of banks in Ghana: the moderating role of ownership structure

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the moderating effect of ownership on the links between corporate governance and financial performance in the context of Ghanaian banks. Design/methodology/approach The current study used a sample of 23 banks and the multiple regression method to analyze a panel dataset of 414 from banks over an 18-year period. Findings The findings revealed that audit independence, chief executive officer (CEO) duality, non-executive directors and banks size have a positive impact on performance. The findings also revealed that foreign ownership has an interacting effect between corporate governance and profitability. Practical implications The practical implications of the current study demonstrated that good corporate governance creates value and must be invigorated for the interest of all stakeholders. Foreign ownership has an interacting effect between corporate governance and performance. Policymakers should formulate policies for attracting foreign investors. Originality/value Interestingly, this study is the first of its kind that exclusively chose ownership structure to interact between corporate governance and bank performance in Ghanaian perspective. Such new insights on this relationship provide useful information to the government, academics, policymakers and other stakeholders. The growing economies of African countries, and the inadequate governance–performance literature in African context, have created a demand to appreciate the governance parameters in these countries and its influence on firm's performance.