Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Sector: Understanding the Niger Delta Militant Problem

The Niger Delta Region of Nigeria has been plagued by the problem of Militant groups springing up in the region to perpetrate unlawful acts primarily targeted at profiting from the abundance of oil riches and also, to bring the attention of the Federal Government to the environmental and economical plights of people in the region. The Frustration and aggression Theory and The Stakeholder theory shine light on how actions of the Federal Government and Multinational Oil Companies culminated to the rise of militant groups in the Niger Delta. The fact that Multinational Oil Companies have failed in their corporate Social responsibility contributed to the rise of Militant groups and the damaging effect of oil exploration on the environment is also cited as one of the reasons for the rise of militant groups. On the part of the Federal Government, the use of military force and the failure of the Federal Government to regulate the behavior of Multinational Oil Companies are often cited as reasons for the rise of militant groups in the Niger Delta. The thesis discusses in-depth ways MNOCs and the Federal government led to the rise of Militant groups in the region. It concludes with findings and recommendations that can help defuse the tension and lead to a more peaceful resolution of disagreement in the oil-rich region. Keywords: Militant Group, Oil Production, Multinational Oil Companies, Niger Delta