Attentiveness to Community Needs and Corporate Social Responsibility in the Niger Delta Region

Abstract

Given the fact that most literature on the activities of the Oil Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in Niger Delta region focuses on corporate inattentiveness to the needs of the communities and the chronic corporate and government socioeconomic irresponsibility, this study used Stakeholder theory and critical ethnography research method to examine the relationship between attentiveness to the needs of communities in the Niger Delta region and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). While acknowledging that CSR has several definitions, we support McWilliams and Siegel (2001) 's assertion that CSR is the ability of a business corporation to go beyond legal and ethical compliance by engaging in business practices that seem to encourage some social good, above the interest of the corporation and that which is stipulated by law. The major aim of this paper was to offer practical solutions to the challenges facing natural gas development and exploitation in Nigeria. Data collected from five oil producing communities (Obagi, Obelle, Omoku, Ogbogu, and Obite) in Niger Delta between 2010 and 2013 were analyzed. The adoption of critical ethnography research method allowed these authors to objectively present their findings. This study concludes that only management practices, which support open and continuous dialogue with all the stakeholders and corporate socioeconomic policies that favour socio-cultural, environmental and economic concerns of all stakeholders will reap the full benefits of the Nigerian emerging economy.