Purpose – The study attempts to examine the impact of audit consortium, both joint and dual, on audit quality assessment in the MENA Region.
Design/methodology/approach – A deductive and quantitative study is conducted using secondary data collected from annual reports of the most active companies listed in Mena Region countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Algeria, Oman, Yemen, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, Bahrain, Syria, Libya, Djibouti, Palestine, and Sudan. The study included the period from 2016 to 2023, where these countries faced several crises, such as COVID-19 pandemic as well as several political and economic events, specifically floating and shocks of fluctuations in inflation and exchange rates. Correlation and GLS regression analyses were conducted as well as fixed versus random effects were tested using Hausman test.
Findings – The results proved that joint audit existence, joint auditors Big4, joint auditors affiliate, dual audit existence, dual auditors Big4, and dual auditors affiliate had a significant positive influence on Audit Opinion.
Practical implications – The study's conclusions have some consequences for multiple stakeholders, including policymakers, regulators, audit firms, investors, and corporate executives. Moreover, the suggestions collected through the investigation can inform regulatory reforms, shape auditing practices, and enhance corporate governance mechanisms in the MENA region and beyond. Moreover, shedding light on the interplay between audit consortia and audit quality investigation supports the broader literature on auditing, corporate governance, and financial reporting integrity.