Description:
African nations are experiencing rapid economic growth and development, particularly
within the energy sector; however, this growth has come at a cost to the environment
and society. Nowhere have these impacts been felt more precisely than in the oil and
gas producing regions of Nigeria where years of neglect and mismanagement have
resulted in vast areas of hydrocarbon contaminated lands. In this chapter, we present a
case study of the Niger Delta. We show how constructive stakeholder engagement can
be used to integrate the values and perspectives of affected communities and how this
information can be used to inform environmental regulation and sustainable
development. Lessons learned are relevant to other countries seeking to develop their
energy resources in a sustainable manner.