Corporate Social Responsibility in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria: In Who’s Interest?

Abstract

Business organizations are expected to meet certain social obligations in terms of corporate social responsibility (CSR). In the Niger Delta region of Nigeria oil Multinational corporations (MNC) have not been left out in this regards. There have been remarkable changes in the host communities as most of the facilities provided by the MNCs have either been absent, insufficient or dysfunctional. Despite the activities of the MNCs, the opinion and attitudes of the host communities portray an act of antagonism rather than support for the MNCs giving rise to an imaginary gap between what is done and how it is perceived. The questions then are; what could be responsible for such attitude? And in whose interest is CSR by the MNCs. This paper examines the host communities' perception of CSR initiatives by the MNCs. The study is based on analysis of in-depth semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with the host communities in the empirical section, as well as a review of related literature. From the stakeholder perspective, this paper argues that the practical difficulty encountered by the MNCs in achieving the desired outcome from CSR programs is due to lack of understanding and consideration of the contractual relationship between the host communities and the MNCs. The results show that the stakeholders' perspective deserves huge attention for those MNCs considering the keys to business success. The paper concludes that CSR initiatives cannot be successful without proper need assessment from the affected stakeholders whose interest ought to be protected. This paper contributes to a proactive rather than a reactive approach to CSR initiatives.

Community perceptions of Nigerian oil companies commitment to social and environmental concerns

“…Oil companies have been perceived as being responsible for the negative impacts of oil exploration because communities see their valuables (such as land) that hold cultural, emotional and spiritual value being destroyed. Another possible explanation for the negative perception of the oil companies is a feeling among community members that the companies are only carrying out their CSR programmes for selfish motives rather than for protecting their interests (Enuoh and Eneh, 2015). Humphreys (2000) noted that a company that does not listen attentively will not grasp the implications of community perceptions and cannot expect to establish a secure basis for good quality relationships.…”

Ethical Responsibilities and the Performance of Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria

“…These are all aimed at creating a stable balance between its profitability and the environment in which they operate (Azende, 2013). However, it is still uncertain as to whose interest such CSR activities are meant to protect (Enuoh & Eneh 2015).…”

Working towards an integrated land contamination management framework for Nigeria

“…Though policies and regulatory actions to protect the environment have been implemented in Nigeria to prevent deliberate pollution, and more recently to address pollution prevention at source (Ajayi and Ikporukpo, 2005;Ajai, 2010;Fentiman and Zabbey, 2015), deficiencies remain. Most notably, there is a need for a better integration and implementation of an environmental management strategy that reflects scientific and societal expectations (UNEP, 2011;Ambituuni, et al, 2014;Rim-rukeh, 2015), which both are viewed as necessary to manage land contamination (Idemudia and Ite, 2006;Eneh, 2011;Enuoh and Eneh, 2015).…”