Community Perception of Environmental Health Risks from Oil Spills in Bayelsa State

This study examines community perception of environmental health risks associated with crude oil spills among residents of three oil-producing communities in Bayelsa State, South South Nigeria. Despite decades of documented oil pollution in the Niger Delta, how affected communities understand, prioritise, and respond to these environmental health risks has not been adequately captured in undergraduate research from this region. The study employs a qualitative methodology using focus group discussions with thirty-six community members across gender and age groups, supplemented by in-depth interviews with twelve community leaders, two health workers, and three environmental officers from the Bayelsa State Environmental Protection Agency. Findings reveal that community members identify contaminated water sources, loss of fishing livelihoods, and skin diseases as the three most pressing risk concerns. Perceptions diverge between older community members, who frame oil spill risks within a narrative of cultural land dispossession, and younger residents, who more frequently emphasise direct health symptoms. Women express stronger concern about food safety from contaminated fish and farm produce than men. Awareness of formal compensation and remediation processes is limited, with most respondents expressing distrust in both oil company and government responses to spill events. Social capital disruption, including community divisions arising from compensation disputes, is identified as an underappreciated secondary risk. The study argues that environmental health risk communication strategies must incorporate community ontologies of risk rather than relying solely on technical hazard disclosures. Recommendations include community-led environmental monitoring programmes and accessible grievance mechanisms independent of oil companies. Keywords: oil spill, community perception, environmental health, Niger Delta, risk management.