When more power is not enough: public preferences for hybrid participation in energy projects in Nigeria

Public participation is a central feature of energy project governance, yet its effectiveness remains contested. Existing scholarship has largely focused on formal legal frameworks, offering limited insight into how affected communities themselves experience and evaluate participatory processes, particularly in Global South contexts. This article addresses this gap through an exploratory mixed-methods study of public participation in Nigerian energy projects using a scenario-based survey (n = 301) and follow-up interviews. Participants evaluated two participatory models: the existing public law–based framework and an alternative based on impact and benefit sharing agreements (IBSAs), which provide greater potential for community influence. Rather than assessing technical expertise regarding energy governance mechanisms, the study examines how ordinary members of the public evaluate different participatory arrangements when presented with standardised hypothetical scenarios. The findings suggest a paradox. While participants valued meaningful influence and inclusive decision-making, they did not necessarily prefer models granting greater decision-making power. Instead, respondents generally expressed stronger preference for public law-based frameworks, citing concerns relating to procedural legitimacy, legal protection, institutional oversight and internal community trust. At the same time, both survey and interview data indicated support for a hybrid participatory model combining legal safeguards with greater community influence. Exploratory analysis of a small subsample of participants residing in the Netherlands revealed broadly similar patterns of evaluation, though these findings are interpreted cautiously due to the limited sample size. Overall, the study suggests that public preferences may be shaped less by the degree of decision-making power afforded and more by how participatory processes are structured and perceived. By centring public perspectives, the article contributes to ongoing debates on participation design and energy governance in the Global South.