Everything about The Niger Delta totally explained
The
Niger Delta, the
delta of the
Niger River in
Nigeria, is a densely populated region sometimes called the
Oil Rivers because it was once a major producer of
palm oil. The area was the British
Oil Rivers Protectorate from 1885 until 1893, when it was expanded and became the
Niger Coast Protectorate.
The Niger Delta, as now defined officially by the Nigerian Government, extends over about 70,000 km² and makes up 7.5% of Nigeria’s land mass. Historically and cartographically, it consists of present day
Bayelsa,
Delta and
Rivers States. In the year 2000, however, Obansanjo's regime expanded it's definition to include
Abia State,
Akwa Ibom State,
Cross River State,
Edo State,
Imo State and
Ondo State. Some 31 million people of more than 40 ethnic groups, speaking some 250 dialects live in the Delta; the
Ijaw being in the majority. Their livelihoods are primarily based on
fishing and
farming.
Coincidentally, Nigeria has become Africa's biggest producer of
petroleum, including many
oil wells in the Oil Rivers. Some 2 million
barrels a day are extracted in the Niger Delta. Since 1975, the region has accounted for more than 75% of Nigeria's
export earnings. Much of the
natural gas extracted in oil wells in the Delta is immediately burned, or
flared, into the air at a rate of approximately 70 million m³ per day. This is equivalent to 41% of African natural gas consumption, and forms the single largest source of
greenhouse gas emissions on the planet. The environmental devastation associated with the industry and the lack of distribution of oil wealth have been the source and/or key aggravating factors of numerous environmental movements and inter-ethnic conflicts in the region, including recent guerilla activity by the
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).
Oil revenue derivation
Oil revenue allocation has been the subject of much contention well before Nigeria gained its independence. Allocations have varied from as much as 50%, owing to the
First Republic's high degree of regional autonomy, and as low as 10% during the military dictatorships.
| Year |
Federal |
State* |
Local |
Special Projects |
Derivation Formula** |
| 1958 |
40% |
60% |
0% |
0% |
50% |
| 1968 |
80% |
20% |
0% |
0% |
10% |
| 1977 |
75% |
22% |
3% |
0% |
10% |
| 1982 |
55% |
32.5% |
10% |
2.5% |
10% |
| 1989 |
50% |
24% |
15% |
11% |
10% |
| 1995 |
48.5% |
24% |
20% |
7.5% |
13% |
| 2001 |
48.5% |
24% |
20% |
7.5% |
13% |
* State allocations are based on 5 criteria: equality (equal shares per state), population, social development, land mass, and revenue generation.
**The derivation formula refers to the percentage of the revenue oil producing states retain from taxes on oil and other natural resources produced in the state. World Bank Report
Recent Destabilisation
Activities of local indigenous people against commercial oil refineries and pipelines have destabilized the region. Recently foreign employees of
Shell, the primary corporation operating in the region, were taken hostage by outraged local people. Such activities have also resulted in greater governmental concern with the area, and the mobilisation of the
Nigerian army and coastguard into the region.
In April, 2006, a bomb exploded near an oil refinery in the Niger Delta region, a warning against Chinese expansion in the region. MEND stated: “We wish to warn the Chinese government and its oil companies to steer well clear of the Niger Delta. The Chinese government by investing in stolen crude places its citizens in our line of fire.”
(External Link)
Government and private initiatives to develop the Niger Delta region have been introduced recently. These include the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC
(External Link)), a Government initiative, and the Development Initiative (DEVIN
(External Link)), a community development non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Port Harcourt in the Niger Delta. Uz and Uz Transnational
(External Link), a company with strong commitment to the Niger Delta, has introduced ways of developing the poor in the Niger Delta, especially in Rivers State.
It shouldn't be confused with the Inner Niger Delta, also known as the Niger Inland Delta, in Mali.
Media
The
"Sweet Crude" documentary film by Director Sandy Cioffi and Producer Tammi Sims is now in post-production. Sweet Crude tells the story of Nigeria’s Niger Delta.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Niger Delta'.
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