Abstract

This study investigates the corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy by multinational corporations (MNCs) in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. The goal of CSR is to encourage a positive impact through its activities with the stakeholders, the environment and the general public. CSR also focuses on how businesses would proactively support the public interest by encouraging community growth and development. The problem of insecurity in the Niger Delta region is attributed to the feeling of anger and frustration by host communities due to perceived negligence of CSR initiatives by the MNCs. This has resulted in crude oil theft, vandalization of oil pipelines, general insecurity and actions that have negatively affected the activities of the MNCs as well as the federal government who depend on the oil revenue for its national budgets. This paper considers the CSR initiatives of the MNCs and the underpinnings of security challenges in this region. This is an empirical paper based on in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted in the host communities of the Niger Delta region. Using the stakeholder theory, the paper maintains that initiating and implementing the right CSR strategy would help to reduce the crisis in this region and enhance the peaceful operations of the MNCs. It contributes to emerging discourse in CSR on how desired positive impact can be made through effective CSR.

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