Environmental Degradation and Community Livelihoods in Oil-Producing Areas of Delta State, South South Nigeria

This study explores the relationship between environmental degradation caused by oil extraction activities and the livelihoods of communities in oil-producing areas of Delta State, South South Nigeria. Decades of hydrocarbon exploration by multinational and indigenous oil companies have resulted in widespread land and water pollution, with severe consequences for fishing, farming, and community health. Drawing on sustainable livelihoods theory and recent environmental governance literature published between 2019 and 2024, the study adopts a descriptive survey design. Data are gathered from 240 community members, local government environmental officers, and civil society representatives in three local government areas of Delta State using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis are employed in data interpretation. The study anticipates that oil spills, gas flaring, and poor remediation practices have significantly depleted natural capital, reduced agricultural yields, and increased poverty vulnerability. It also examines how community protests, litigation, and engagement with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission have shaped corporate environmental accountability. Recommendations will focus on strengthening environmental enforcement, expanding community benefit-sharing arrangements, and integrating ecological restoration into oil industry regulatory frameworks. This study is relevant to both national environmental policy and the sustainable development discourse in the Niger Delta. Keywords: environmental degradation, oil extraction, livelihoods, Delta State, sustainable development