Host communities’ perception of oil companies’ corporate social responsibility for managing conflict in Nigeria’s Niger Delta

Abstract This paper examined what host communities of oil companies operating in the Niger Delta think about the corporate social responsibility programmes of the oil companies as conflict management measures. The study sought to provide answers to the following research questions: what is the knowledge of the host communities about CSR programmes which the oil companies are executing in the Niger Delta for managing conflicts in their host communities?; to what extent are the host communities satisfied with the CSR programmes of the oil companies in resolving conflicts in the Niger Delta?; and what do the host communities consider as impediments to effective implementation of CSR programmes by the oil companies as conflict management tools. The study was guided by the social conflict theory. Data were generated through direct in-depth interviews with four respondents representing four communities, two in Delta State and two in Rivers State. The qualitative mode was adopted for analysis and discussion. Findings show that host communities have a high level of knowledge of CSR programmes of the oil companies, but the host communities are dissatisfied with the oil companies because of continued environmental degradation and increasing rate of poverty in the host communities. Key Words: Conflict Management; Conflict Resolution; Corporate Social Responsibility; Host Communities; Oil Companies * Samuel Okere, Ph.D., is a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria. ** Ogbiten Brickins Ogbemi is of the Department of Mass Communication, Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria. © AMCRON Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 11, No. 1, April 2019, pp. 144 – 152