Nigeria oil curse

Oil is a great potential for economic, cultural and social growth of every country. It is just potential because only a responsible government and stable country can profit from oil production. The Nigeria case shows how the oil mining can generate poverty and desperate life stories.

Nigeria is a country with the highest corruption in the world. It is a country with religious divisions and conflicts. It is also a country where oil mining have brought more tragedy then wealth and happiness. The corrupted state administration and government rifle the oil resources without responsibility to local communities and nature. Thus oil is not a potential source of stability but it becomes a supporter of local conflicts, rebellions and guerrillas which fights against international oil companies.

Oil took my job away

The Nigerian oil spills from the old Niger delta's network of terminals, pipes, pumping stations and oil platforms every day. It is a bigger environmental tragedy than the Mexican gulf oil disaster. Local people do not have a chance to get compensation from the government.

The drinking water in wells has been contaminated by oil, the water in Niger River delta as well. Nigerian farmers have lost fertile land for their crops, pastures for their livestock; the fishermen have lost their fish. Many Nigerians are without their traditional jobs because of oil. „Oil took my job away from me. Nobody would buy my fish from this oil river,“ a Nigerian ex-fisherman says. „Moreover, I am not able to find any other job and I do not have enough money for feeding my children. “ The Nigerian government just does not care about it. The profit from the oil is more important than the way it is gained. As a result, nobody invests to the old oil infrastructures.

The international community should put pressure on Nigerian government and multinational oil companies which profit from this environmental disaster. Ordinary people should ask where the oil comes from and what the price is.