Poverty Alleviation through Corporate Social Responsibility in Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

Failed government's policies aimed at developing the Niger Delta region left it one of the poorest regions of Nigeria; and necessitated agitations by the communities for oil multinationals to step in to fill this development gap. Through the company's corporate social responsibility, Shell Petroleum Developing Company -the Nigerian subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell has demonstrated commitments to the reduction of poverty in the region. The paper examines some of the company's poverty alleviation projects in the region. Using a qualitative approach, drawing on relevant secondary data and content analysis the paper argues that Shell has contributed immensely to the development of local communities in its areas of operation and also contributed to the economic growth of Nigeria. However, given the vast majority of the region's population living in poverty, the paper advises that government should complement the efforts of Shell both in the region and across the country using massive wealth generated for the government by the oil company.

Corporate Sustainability Performance: An Approach to Effective Sustainable Community Development or Not? A Case Study of the Luanshya Copper Mine in Zambia

“…Still in Zambia, Kumar [23] found that CSP on various mining companies in the Copperbelt Province had a positive impact on education, health, and the environment. In the same vein, Whellams [17,21] found that CSP had a positive impact in Ghana, Peru and Bolivia, respectively, in areas such as health, education, and livelihood. Despite the positive impact, Whellams [17] and Marias [19] are of the view that the extent to which CSP contributed to sustainable development is highly dependent on the design of the initiatives themselves and the composition of the local community.…”

“…Some scholars have found that CSP impact on sustainable development is negligible [5,18,19] In the same vein, Lungu and Mulenga [20], while focusing on the Copperbelt, found that CSP was more concerned with profit-making than dealing with the concerns of various stakeholders, particularly those of communities. On the other hand, it has been found that CSP had a general significant positive impact on the local communities of the Niger Delta [21]. Focusing on education, Mayondi [22] found that the CSP of Barrick Gold, Zambia, had a slight positive impact.…”

Has the adoption of CSR initiatives by MNCs improved the situation in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region?’

“…The stakeholder's theory as stated by Argandona (1998) pointed out that a company objective goes beyond just making a profit for its shareholders' but also extends to taking responsibility for its other stakeholders and their interests. The Nigerian government has had a poor success rate in initiatives to reduce poverty in these areas thereby increasing the pressure of MNCs to carry out these activities (Amadi and Abdullah, 2012). They added that though the MNCs have contributed through CSR, they are still blamed for not doing enough.…”

Human Capability and Entrepreneurial Development in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

“…This scenario captures the efforts of the Nigerian government in addressing the issue of human development through entrepreneurship programs particularly in the Niger Delta region. In line with the developmental agenda of the country, the development of the Niger Delta region has also been a paramount concern to the Nigerian government due to its contribution to the nation's economy (Amadi & Abdullah, 2012).…”