APPROACHES TO MINIMIZING ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF OIL EXPLOITATION IN NIGER DELTA REGION OF NIGERIA

It is no more news that oil production activities have disastrous consequences on human lives and ecology in the Niger Delta region rather than enrich same. Oil exploration is the major revenue earner in Nigeria’s economy, all thanks to the Niger Delta region, which is richly blessed with the black gold in large quantities. The dependency of the economy on the juicy gains of oil and gas leading to increased exploration, mining, refining, transportation and other related endeavours, has had disastrous social and environmental impacts on the people of Niger Delta and its environment. Consequently, the Nigerian Government over the years has responsively evolved necessary legal and institutional frameworks to minimize the socio-economic and environmental impacts of oil and gas production on the Niger Delta region. In the light of the above, this project examines the various legal and institutional framework put in place to minimize the impacts of oil exploration in the Niger delta region and it is structured into five chapters. Chapter one is the introduction with a brief history and definition of fundamental terms. Chapter two looks at the diverse impact of oil exploitation in the Niger Delta region ranging from environmental to socio-economic issues. Chapter three reviews the legal framework put in place to minimize the impact of oil exploitation in the region. Chapter four examines the institutional framework put in place to minimize the impacts of oil exploitation in the region, including the role of the Judiciary in environmental protection. Chapter five concludes the analysis with some recommendations for better and more organized approaches to minimizing the environmental and social impact of oil exploitation in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.