Oil and Political Violence in Nigeria (original) (raw)
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Natural Resource Curse Theory and Crude Oil Exploration in the Niger Delta: A Contemporary Analysis
American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research (AJHSSR), 2020
This study attempts to situate the contemporary Niger Delta crises and its socioeconomic problems which lead to the underdevelopment status in the region, to the exploration of crude oil deposits, using the Resource Curse theory as a focus. The study argued that the discovery of oil and its exploration in large quantity over the years has generated so many conflicts than it has brought peace and harmonious relations among the host communities, the multinational corporations (MNCs) and the Government; and has generated intra and inter-communal crisis as well. The study questions these social realities and relates same to the activities of the Nigerian government and its practice of quasi-federalism in the country since independence. The study adopts the historical and analytical design as its methodological component. This means that relevant data for the study were derived from secondary sources via textbooks, journal articles, official documents, and internet sources. Most importantly, the study proffers useful recommendations which will be of benefit to the Federal Government, the host crude oil producing communities and the MNCs. The study also suggests a radical approach to be adopted by the government, to eliminate the underdevelopment status of the country through proactive measures such as a well planned and coordinated program for infrastructural development across the regions of the country.
2015
The Niger-Delta area of Nigeria, coincides approximately to the south-south geopolitical zone of the country. Before the discovering of the black gold (crude oil), agriculture was the dominant occupation of the people in the area. Crude oil was discovered in commercial quantity in the area in 1956. Since then exploration and exploitation of crude oil has resulted in environmental degradation, soil impoverishment, pollution, loss of aquatic life and biodiversity etc. This study reveals that the causes of the crises in the Niger-Delta region is sequel to the inability of the multinational companies involved in the explorations and exploitation of crude oil, and the federal government to adequately mitigate the consequences of their activities in the region. These multinational companies use capital-intensive technologies developed in core countries, which generate high wage employment for only a few workers but little employment for most others. This paper is of the view that adequate...
The implications of oil theft on social and economic development in the Niger Delta
Global Journal of Social Sciences
The emergence of the exploration of crude oil in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria, has awarded the region worldwide renown as the economic backbone of the country, but also as a conflict flashpoint. Drawing from the propositions of the resource curse theory, the paper identifies Nigeria’s rentier state structure as the underlining cause linked to the citing of conflict and corruption, as the reasons for the occurrence of oil theft in the Niger Delta. Also, the Dutch disease is identified as an economic explanation of the resource curse theory, and this is used to identify the economic implications of oil theft in the Niger Delta at the national level. In addition, the rentier state structure is used to identify the social implications of the occurrence of oil theft at the local level in the Niger Delta region. The paper posits that economic implications include reduced revenue, increased unemployment, and diversification of the economy. The social implications also include sustai...
Oil Exploitation and Conflict in the Niger-Delta Region of Nigeria
Journal of Human Ecology
The Niger-Delta area of Nigeria, coincides approximately to the south-south geopolitical zone of the country. Before the discovering of the black gold (crude oil), agriculture was the dominant occupation of the people in the area. Crude oil was discovered in commercial quantity in the area in 1956. Since then exploration and exploitation of crude oil has resulted in environmental degradation, soil impoverishment, pollution, loss of aquatic life and biodiversity etc. This study reveals that the causes of the crises in the Niger-Delta region is sequel to the inability of the multinational companies involved in the explorations and exploitation of crude oil, and the federal government to adequately mitigate the consequences of their activities in the region. These multinational companies use capital-intensive technologies developed in core countries, which generate high wage employment for only a few workers but little employment for most others. This paper is of the view that adequate mitigation measures such as: construction of access roads, health facilities, educational facilities, electricity, income yielding ventures (cassava mill, rice mill, palm oil mill etc) piped water supply scheme, provision of micro credit facilities, capacity building, agricultural development etc will greatly reduce the crises in the region to the bearest minimum.
Nigeria is a West African country that is referred to as "the giant of Africa". The reason is because it is Africa"s most populous country with more than 150 million people, and the world"s eighth largest oil producer. Oil was discovered in commercial quantity in the 1950s and generated so much wealth for the country in the 1970s. Since then, Nigeria has been dependent on oil revenue which accounts for over 90 percent of its export earnings. Despite these huge earnings, the country and its producing region (Niger Delta) suffers from poverty, unemployment, insecurity, corruption, environmental degradation, and conflict over oil resource as a result of bad leadership, poor economic management. The oil resource rather than being a blessing has become a curse to the nation because; the excessive reliance on oil revenue has resulted in economic stagnation and political instability.
The Resource Curse and National Development in Nigeria”
in Ibaba Samuel Ibaba (ed.) Niger Delta: Constraints and Pathways to Development (London: Cambridge Scholars Publishing , 2012) pp. 29-42
The book is divided into eight chapters, which explore the complex constraints and pathways to development in the region. The first chapter, “Introduction: Interrogating Development Deficits in the Niger Delta”, by Ibaba Samuel Ibaba, provides the background of the book and introduces the chapters which follow. This is followed by the second chapter “Challenges to Sustainable Development in the Niger Delta (Nigeria)”, by Rhuks Ako, interrogates the challenges to sustainable development in the Niger Delta and locates them in the wider national context. The chapter highlights issues in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta that have continued to present a sustainable development conundrum for the Nigerian government, and illustrates how these challenges have affected progress towards sustainable development. The author suggests that the Nigerian government should adopt a comprehensive sustainable development framework for the country generally, and in particular, the Niger Delta. This is followed by the chapter by Freedom C. Onuoha and Gerald E. Ezirim, entitled the “Resource Curse and National Development in Nigeria”, and is intended to draw attention to the fact that the lack of development in the Niger Delta and the resultant conflict is part of a wider national plight. The authors review the resource curse thesis and its application to Nigeria, on the basis of the three elements of the thesis: a) natural resource abundance as a factor in internal conflict; b) natural resource abundance deepens excessive dependence on such resource (monoculture economy), making the country very susceptible to global shocks; and c) natural resource abundance engenders weak governance institution, leading to pervasive corruption and widespread poverty. The authors conclude that the resource curse is pervasive in Nigeria, and note that the Niger Delta region is one of its victims.
The nexus between natural resources and conflict in the Gulf of Guinea: Case of Nigeria
2016
Countries endowed with natural resources such as Nigeria have been susceptible to economic underdevelopment and conflict. Nigeria is an empirical case for the resource curse-a notion that depicts a negative correlation between resource endowment, development and conflict. This study examines the relationship between natural resources, oil in particular and conflict in Nigeria. The study sought to examine the historical development of conflict over oil in Nigeria and to ascertain the impact of structurally-induced scarcity resulting from the distribution of rents in the country. The research was guided by the hypothesis that lack of accountability and unfair distribution of natural resource wealth amalgamated with political and social grievances normally results in explosive conflicts in resource rich countries. The resource curse, greed and grievance theories provided the framework for analysis. The study used the case study design wherein qualitative tools such as documentary searc...