The Petroleum Industry and Economic Empowerment of Young Adults in Nigeria’s Niger Delta Region

Date of Conferral

10-16-2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

Danetra Quarterman

Abstract

Abstract The primary occupation of youths in the Niger Delta region has traditionally been agriculture, but the environmental degradation caused by oil and gas exploration and production has made agriculture unviable in this region. There was limited knowledge on the economic empowerment of young adults in the Niger Delta oil and gas-producing region, especially that stemming from the provision of skill acquisition programs by oil and gas companies. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of young adults in the oil and gas-bearing region who had been economically empowered by oil and gas companies. Joseph Maxwell’s 2004 conceptual framework was used in the study. The research question was focused on the lived experiences of young adults who had participated in economic empowerment programs organized by the oil and gas companies in the region. The data collection involved purposeful sampling and in-depth, one-on-one, semi-structured interviews of 15 young adults aged 20 to 25 living in these communities. Using NVivo Software, the transcribed data of the participants responses was grouped into common categories and themes for analysis. The respondents agreed that young adults in communities with oil and gas resources were economically empowered by the oil and gas companies. The findings showed that young adults who were economically empowered by the oil and gas companies have been economically and socially useful in their respective communities. The study's potential implications for positive social change include providing insights for oil and gas company executives to address the unique economic empowerment issues of young adults in the Niger Delta region.

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