Niger Delta Overview

Abstract

While the Niger Delta may be one of the most resource-rich regions in the world, it remains mired in cycles of conflict that perpetuate underdevelopment and threaten human security. As can be explored through a more in-depth analysis of the eight individual states of the Niger Delta that follows, the problems that plague the region are complex and often deeply entrenched. These issues include poor governance at all levels that is often exacerbated by a political culture that simultaneously centralizes power (and access to wealth) at the top yet relies more on informal networks than civic participation. In addition, the overall weak capacity of the state to protect its citizens at all levels has given rise to various non-state actors that have filled the vacuum, at a very violent and deadly cost. Compounding the general structural problems of the state and local level government, the cycles of violence that have so often plagued the Niger Delta are exacerbated greatly by the vastly uneven distribution of resources from the oil industry which are amassed at the top and rarely trickle down to benefit local communities. Adding to these pressures is the problem of extreme environmental degradation in a region where up to 60 % of people rely on natural resources for their overall livelihoods. Increased social fragmentation and long-simmering minority tensions also add layers of complexity to the security challenge in the Niger Delta, as various manifestations of these particular drivers of conflict often seem to appear out of nowhere and can quickly spiral into crises.