The environment of the Niger Delta region has been devastated by oil pollution for years, leading to problems of sustainable traditional livelihoods and poor socio-economic circumstances. Though the pollution started with oil exploration and production activities of multinational oil companies, the sources of oil pollution increased years later to include activities such as oil bunkering and artisanal crude oil refining. This resulted in a further degradation of the environment and destruction of livelihoods. This paper compared the environmental impact of oil pollution on income and sustainable livelihoods before and during the era of artisanal crude oil refining in the Niger Delta region. The cross-sectional survey research design was used for the study. 314 respondents actively participated in the research. Respondents were drawn from six communities in Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa States. Both primary and secondary data were used. Focus group discussions and structured interview schedules were instruments for collecting primary data. The Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test was used to test if artisanal crude oil refining, a major source of oil pollution, significantly impacts income. The test showed that the activity has a significant impact on income. According to the study, oil pollution also affects forests, biodiversity, occupational tools, financial capacity, and human health. It was thus recommended that government should provide relevant infrastructure, credit facilities, modular refineries and other things. to discourage artisanal crude oil refining and boost farming and fishing to ensure the sustainability of traditional livelihoods in the Niger Delta region.
Keywords: Artisanal refining; Environment; Income; Oil pollution; Sustainability
Manuscript submitted to Ghana Journal of Geography | This paper was made possible partly by a Carnegie Corporation of New York grant. The statements made and views expressed are solely the responsibility of the author. Furthermore, the author gratefully acknowledges the support from the Future Africa Research Leader Fellowship (FAR-LeaF) Programme at the University of Pretoria.
