Socio-Economic Characteristics, Causes, Effects, and Relationships of Oil Spillage in Delta State,

This study examined the socio-economic characteristics, causes, effects, and relationships of oil spillage in Delta State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select 116 respondents from Ughelli North and Isoko North Local Government Areas, communities. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed through descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC), and Chi-square tests. The results showed that the majority of respondents were young (20–30 years), male (51.7%), and possessed low levels of formal education (60.3%). The major perceived causes of oil spillage included unemployment (mean = 4.19), poverty (mean = 4.10), and illiteracy (mean = 3.93), while effects were destruction of assets (mean = 2.55), loss of natural resources (mean = 2.53), poor agricultural yield (mean = 2.62), and increased unemployment (mean = 2.66). The correlate on analysis revealed a strong and positive relationship (r = 0.734, p <0.01) between the causes and effects of oil spillage. Educational status and religion were found to have significant associations with how respondents perceived the effects of oil spillage (p <0.05). The study concluded that oil spillage in Delta State was both an environmental and socio-economic crisis, driven by poverty and poor governance. It emphasized the urgent need for government and corporate intervention through policy reform, environmental restoration, and livelihood empowerment.