IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/envirc/v35y2017i2p334-354.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Health risks from environmental degradation in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

Author

Listed:
  • Josephine Adekola
  • Moira Fischbacher-Smith
  • Denis Fischbacher-Smith
  • Olalekan Adekola

Abstract

Local communities within oil producing countries in Africa often face formidable environmental challenges that generate conflicts and concerns around exploitation, environmental impact, and health risks. A key feature of these concerns has been the paucity of effective risk communication mechanisms and the impact this has on the public understanding of risk. Risk communication has been identified as a significant factor in explaining why the health consequences of environmental degradation remain unabated in oil producing communities. This paper evaluates health risk communication in the oil rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The study is based on 69 interviews conducted in the Niger Delta region. The paper argues that the health of the local population is being impaired by risk incidences relating to oil and gas exploration activities, the effects of which are amplified by inadequate communication of health risks to the public. The study argues for and suggests ways in which health risk communication processes can be improved in the Niger Delta. A multi-dimensional framework for public health risk communication is developed as a means of advancing understanding, practice, and policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Josephine Adekola & Moira Fischbacher-Smith & Denis Fischbacher-Smith & Olalekan Adekola, 2017. "Health risks from environmental degradation in the Niger Delta, Nigeria," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 35(2), pages 334-354, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envirc:v:35:y:2017:i:2:p:334-354
    DOI: 10.1177/0263774X16661720
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0263774X16661720
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0263774X16661720?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lynn J. Frewer & Joachim Scholderer & Lone Bredahl, 2003. "Communicating about the Risks and Benefits of Genetically Modified Foods: The Mediating Role of Trust," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(6), pages 1117-1133, December.
    2. Teye, Joseph Kofi, 2013. "Analysing forest resource governance in Africa: Proposition for an integrated policy network model," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 63-70.
    3. Donohoe, Martin, 2003. "Causes and health consequences of environmental degradation and social injustice," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 56(3), pages 573-587, February.
    4. Charles Davis, 2012. "The Politics of “Fracking”: Regulating Natural Gas Drilling Practices in Colorado and Texas," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 29(2), pages 177-191, March.
    5. Gabriel Eweje, 2006. "Environmental Costs and Responsibilities Resulting from Oil Exploitation in Developing Countries: The Case of the Niger Delta of Nigeria," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 69(1), pages 27-56, November.
    6. Ebikabowei Emmanuel Baro & Benake-ebide Christy Endouware, 2013. "The Effects of Mobile Phone on the Socio-economic Life of the Rural Dwellers in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria," Information Technology for Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 249-263, July.
    7. William Leiss, 1995. "“Down and Dirty:” The Use and Abuse of Public Trust in Risk Communication," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(6), pages 685-692, December.
    8. Robert W. Howarth & Anthony Ingraffea & Terry Engelder, 2011. "Should fracking stop?," Nature, Nature, vol. 477(7364), pages 271-275, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. George Chryssochoidis & Anna Strada & Athanasios Krystallis, 2009. "Public trust in institutions and information sources regarding risk management and communication: towards integrating extant knowledge," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(2), pages 137-185, March.
    2. Brad Love & Michael Mackert & Kami Silk, 2013. "Consumer Trust in Information Sources," SAGE Open, , vol. 3(2), pages 21582440134, June.
    3. Christenson, Dino P. & Goldfarb, Jillian L. & Kriner, Douglas L., 2017. "Costs, benefits, and the malleability of public support for “Fracking”," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 407-417.
    4. Lucija Muehlenbachs & Elisheba Spiller & Christopher Timmins, 2015. "The Housing Market Impacts of Shale Gas Development," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 105(12), pages 3633-3659, December.
    5. Steven Nelson & Jonathan M. Fisk, 2021. "End of the (Pipe)Line? Understanding how States Manage the Risks of Oil and Gas Wells," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 38(2), pages 203-221, March.
    6. Simplice Asongu & Jacinta C. Nwachukwu, 2017. "Recent finance advances in information technology for inclusive development: a survey," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 17/009, African Governance and Development Institute..
    7. Ngozi Adeleye & Chiamaka Eboagu, 2019. "Evaluation of ICT development and economic growth in Africa," Netnomics, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 31-53, April.
    8. Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi, 2021. "Empowerment of Rural Young People in Informal Farm Entrepreneurship: The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Nigeria’s Oil Producing Communities," Working Papers 21/033, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    9. Elda N. Okolo-Obasi & Joseph I. Uduji & Simplice A. Asongu, 2020. "Strengthening Women’s Participation in the Traditional Enterprises of sub-Saharan Africa: The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives in Niger Delta, Nigeria," Working Papers 20/096, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    10. Köppelová, J. & Jindrová, A., 2017. "Comparative Study of Short-Term Time Series Models: Use of Mobile Telecommunication Services in CR Regions," AGRIS on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Economics and Management, vol. 9(1), March.
    11. Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi, 2021. "Empowerment of Rural Young People in Informal Farm Entrepreneurship: The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Nigeria’s Oil Producing Communities," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 21/033, African Governance and Development Institute..
    12. Wang, Jianliang & Feng, Lianyong & Steve, Mohr & Tang, Xu & Gail, Tverberg E. & Mikael, Höök, 2015. "China's unconventional oil: A review of its resources and outlook for long-term production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 31-42.
    13. Zilliox, Skylar & Smith, Jessica M., 2017. "Memorandums of understanding and public trust in local government for Colorado's unconventional energy industry," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 72-81.
    14. Joseph I. Uduji & Elda N. Okolo-Obasi, 2022. "Gender Sensitive Responses to Climate Change in Nigeria: The Role of Multinationals’ Corporate Social Responsibility in Oil Host Communities," Working Papers 22/041, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    15. Uduji, Joseph Ikechukwu & Okolo-Obasi, Elda Nduka & Asongu, Simplice A., 2021. "Oil extraction in Nigeria's Ogoniland: The role of corporate social responsibility in averting a resurgence of violence," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    16. Joseph Ikechukwu Uduji & Elda N. Okolo‐Obasi & Simplice A. Asongu, 2019. "Corporate social responsibility and the role of rural women in sustainable agricultural development in sub‐Saharan Africa: Evidence from the Niger Delta in Nigeria," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(4), pages 692-703, July.
    17. Kit S. Hagemann & Joachim Scholderer, 2009. "Hot Potato: Expert‐Consumer Differences in the Perception of a Second‐Generation Novel Food," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(7), pages 1041-1055, July.
    18. Luigi Cembalo & Daniela Caso & Valentina Carfora & Francesco Caracciolo & Alessia Lombardi & Gianni Cicia, 2019. "The “Land of Fires” Toxic Waste Scandal and Its Effect on Consumer Food Choices," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-14, January.
    19. Joseph Ikechukwu Uduji & Elda Nduka Okolo-Obasi & Justitia Odinaka Nnabuko & Geraldine Egondu Ugwuonah & Josaphat Uchechukwu Onwumere, 2023. "Gender and Natural Resources Management in Nigeria: The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Oil Host Communities," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 23/069, African Governance and Development Institute..
    20. Scott, Ryan P., 2018. "Should we call the neighbors? Voluntary deliberation and citizen complaints about oil and gas drilling," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 258-272.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:envirc:v:35:y:2017:i:2:p:334-354. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.