Environmental, Public Health and Socio-Economic Issues of Oil Spillage in Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper critically reviewed the prevailing socioeconomic trends in the Niger-Delta, Nigeria and concludes consequences of socio-economical disequilibrium, public health and environmental issues due to oil spillage. Niger Delta is a densely populated region in the sub-Saharan Africa and described as the engine room that drives economic growth and development in Nigeria as up to 80% of the Nigerian economic growth stems from this region. This region bears on the nation’s economy but development is skewed to its disfavor owing to the public policies that are frequently in disfavor of the people. Multinational oil companies explored fossil fuel blandly and thereby curtailed the sustainability of the environment. On the hand, Nigerian government has taken some remarkable steps and employed different methods to mitigate spillages. Contrarily, studies indicate the failure of the law and weakness of the government to enforce the law catalyzed by corruption.