Farming, Fishing, and Fossil Fuels: Can Traditional Livelihoods Endure Oil and Gas Expansion in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Traditional livelihood strategies, including rural agriculture, pastoralism, and communal resource management, are central to socio-economic and ecological sustainability of rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, expansion of oil and gas (O&G) projects particularly the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) projects poses significant threats to these strategies through land displacement, environmental degradation, and socio-cultural disruption. Several studies have examined the environmental and social implications of O&G projects, few have comprehensively addressed the possibilities for coexistence between O&G project and traditional livelihoods in the SSA context where cases of livelihoods disruption are rampant. This study aimed to critically examine the challenges and explore the opportunities for sustainable coexistence of traditional livelihood strategies with O&G project in the region. A qualitative literature review methodology was employed, drawing on academic databases, grey literature, and policy documents. Thematic analysis was applied to synthesize data on land use dynamics, socio-economic impacts, and participatory governance frameworks relevant to O&G projects. The findings reveal that while O&G often undermine traditional livelihoods, there are promising opportunities for coexistence. These include leveraging existing community structures, strengthening local content policies (LCPs), and ensuring inclusive and participatory decision-making processes. The review highlights critical gaps in governance, policy implementation, and community engagement practices that hinder sustainable outcomes. Sustainable coexistence between traditional livelihoods and O&G projects is feasible when grounded in rights-based approaches, environmental safeguards, community-driven planning. Policymakers and project developers must prioritize land tenure security, cultural preservation, and inclusive benefit-sharing to ensure equitable and resilient development in resource-rich regions of SSA.