Hunger in the Oilfields: The Human Cost of Resource Extraction and Pathways for Sustainable Food Systems in Oil-Producing Communities of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

The paradox of hunger amid abundant natural-resource wealth remains one of the most troubling development challenges confronting oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. Although the region contributes substantially to Nigeria's petroleum economy, many host communities continue to experience food insecurity, declining agricultural productivity, environmental degradation, unemployment, inadequate infrastructure and deteriorating livelihoods. This study examines the relationship between oil exploitation and household food insecurity in four selected oil-producing communities of Akwa Ibom State drawn from the Eastern Obolo, Eket, Esit Eket, Ibeno, Mbo and Ikot Abasi Local Government Areas — with particular attention to how environmental degradation, livelihood disruption, poverty and limited access to basic services combine to produce what this study conceptualises as “extractive hunger.” A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and 384 respondents were selected through a multistage sampling procedure, with 96 respondents (25.0%) drawn from each of the four communities. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, complemented by field observation, semi-structured interviews and key-informant discussions. Descriptive statistics, particularly frequencies and percentages, were used to analyse respondents' socioeconomic characteristics and patterns of food insecurity, while the chi-square test of association (α = 0.05) was applied to selected categorical variables. The findings indicate that oil-producing communities can experience severe food insecurity despite residing within areas of considerable petroleum wealth: 45.3% of households ate only two meals per day, 74.5% had reduced food consumption for lack of money, and 70.6% rated the effect of oil pollution on their livelihood as severe or very severe. Major factors associated with hunger include loss of farmland, declining fish catches, environmental pollution, unemployment, high food prices, inadequate household income and weak livelihood diversification. Situating these local findings against comparative evidence from Angola, Ecuador, Iraq, Kazakhstan and Norway, the study argues that petroleum wealth does not automatically translate into household food security; rather, the outcome is mediated by environmental governance, compensation systems and the extent of economic diversification. The study recommends stronger environmental regulation, restoration of degraded agricultural and aquatic ecosystems, livelihood diversification, targeted food-security interventions, improved community participation, and more transparent and accountable management of oil revenues and development funds.