Evaluating Multi-Sector Partnerships for Sustainable Community Development in Nigeria

Abstract

More than ever, multi-sector partnerships are being seen as a key community development approach, with many governments, corporate bodies, and international agencies viewing them as an effective way of addressing complex development challenges that have defied single-sector interventions. In Nigeria, corporate bodies have, before now, demonstrated their commitments towards community development directly and independently. But presently, the attention has shifted to partnership approach for sustainable community development. The aim of this paper is to have an insight on the multi-sector partnerships employed by Shell Petroleum Developing Company – the Nigerian subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, aimed at poverty reduction, and sustainable community development in their host communities. The paper uses a qualitative approach through exploring of relevant secondary sources and content analysis to evaluate the company’s partnership initiatives. It argues that such partnerships have impacted more positively on the people by empowering community members, enhancing community well being, and solving community problems than the company’s previous approaches to community development. Key words: Partnership; Poverty Reduction; Sustainable Community Development; Oil Multinational Companies; Bottom-up