Between responsibility and rhetoric: some consequences of CSR practice in Nigeria's oil province

Abstract

This article brings together some of the findings of a three-year study of the community dimensions of upstream petroleum operations in Nigeria, Africa's largest oil exporter. It examines the corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices of transnational petroleum-producing companies, focusing on the immediate and long-term ethnographic and social consequences of such practices on the local communities where oil extraction takes place. The article examines, more importantly, how such practices and the identified consequences intersect with the regulatory/institutional framework governing upstream petroleum operations in Nigeria. By shifting attention away from the dominant, ethnic view of conflict and instability in the country of study, and looking at specific instances of ethnographic and social crisis associated with corporate social responsibility, the article offers some insights into some present-day challenges to sustainable development in Africa, and unveils an important present-day mechanism through which the image of resource-rich African countries as strife-torn is entrenched.

Oil Extraction and Poverty Reduction in the Niger Delta: A Critical Examination of Partnership Initiatives

“…In addition, the definition is also consistent with how local communities in the Niger Delta understand development and poverty (see Akpan, 2006a). Hence, it allows for the privileging of the voices of intended beneficiaries of CSR that are often neglected in analysis, despite calls for community views to be prioritized by scholars like Blowfield (2004) and Akpan (2006b).…”

“…This has led some pundits to question the 'business case logic' by asking that if CSR is supposed to be good for business and community, why is it that oil TNCs are unable to secure their social licence to operate and local communities continue to complain of familiar corporate misdemeanour (Idemudia, 2007a). Furthermore, while commentators like Frynas (2005) and Akpan (2006a) continue to argue that oil TNCs' efforts at CD are abysmal. In contrast, Eweje (2006) and Ite (2007a, b) share an opposing view and instead argue that oil TNCs are making considerable contributions to host CD.…”

Business–NGO Collaboration in a Conflict Setting

“…In such contexts, corporate community engagement activities, such as philanthropy and corporate donations, have been criticized for failing to address the challenges faced by poor communities (Manteaw, 2008;Muthuri, 2008) or tackle the root causes of conflict (Idemudia and Ite, 2006). Business-led community development initiatives can then do more harm than good and be potentially disruptive (Akpan, 2006;Idemudia and Ite, 2006;Ite 2004). In the DRC context, this is compounded by the fact that extractive activities have often had a negative impact due to dislocation, issues surrounding land and property rights, environment degradation and social disruption.…”

The Nigerian Oil Industry: Assessing Community Development and Sustainability

“…7;2017 (GRI), the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Rio Janeiro and Johannesburg have all made reference to the above assertion (Oviasuyi & Uwadiae, 2010). However, scholars such as Frynas (2005) and Akpan (2006) exert that collaborative efforts at community development by OMNCs and the NDDC are not visible enough.…”

“…It is expected that government's response towards social responsibility will improve and be beneficial in the communities. However, scholars have argued that OMNCs have not reached their full capacity in the CSR mandate of their corporations; much is being expected in the region (Edoho, 2008;Frynas, 2009;Akpan 2006;Tuodolo, 2009). Thus, arguments abound on the ground that projects and initiatives by the OMNCs are basically not as proportionate to the social and environmental hazards that exist in these communities due to the activities of the OMNCs (Lisk, Besada and Martin, 2013).…”