Interrogating the Trilemma: Environmental Sustainability, Petroleum Extraction and Multidimensional Economics in the Nigerian Niger Delta

Abstract

Nigeria’s petroleum sector, vital to its economy, exists in a state of perpetual tension with environmental sustainability, particularly within its fragile Niger Delta ecosystem. This paper employs an interdisciplinary economic lens – synthesizing petroleum economics, maritime economics, conflict economics, health economics, and energy security – to dissect this complex trilemma. We argue that the environmental degradation endemic to oil production is not merely an ecological issue but the root node of interconnected economic crises: diminished maritime resource productivity, persistent community conflicts, severe public health burdens, and compromised energy/maritime security. Analyzing data on oil spills, gas flaring, conflict incidence, health indicators, and maritime activity, we demonstrate how unsustainable practices generate significant negative externalities that cripple long-term economic prosperity and stability for host communities and the nation. The paper concludes with a framework for integrated policy solutions prioritizing environmental restoration, equitable benefit-sharing, robust health interventions, and strengthened security protocols, positing that true sustainability is the cornerstone of resolving the region's multidimensional economic challenges and securing Nigeria's energy future.

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