Positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, method for producing same, and nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery

A positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising a lithium nickel composite oxide represented by composition formula (1):

• LibNi1-aM1aO2,
• where M1 represents at least one kind of element selected from transition metal elements other than Ni, group 2 elements, and group 13 elements, 0.01≤a≤0.5, and 0.85≤b≤1.05,
• wherein
• the lithium nickel composite oxide has a specific surface area in a range of 0.5 m2/g to 2.05 m2/g, a carbon content of 0.01% by mass or more and 0.08% by mass or less with respect to a total amount of the lithium nickel composite oxide, and a lithium amount of a lithium compound present on a surface of the lithium nickel composite oxide is 0.01% by mass or more and 0.10% by mass or less with respect to the total amount of the lithium nickel composite oxide.