Niger Delta Crisis: The Nexus between Militants' Insurgency and Security in West Africa

Abstract

ABSTRACT Since the oil boom, violence in the Niger Delta has been a growing issue for the Nigerian state. Persistent poverty, underdevelopment, and environmental degradation have given birth to a region where grievances are high. Militancy in the region turned a more destructive corner in the early 2000s and in doing so brought considerable disruptions to oil production, which accounts for more than 80 percent of government revenue. Against this background the study examines the crux of the Niger Delta crisis, evaluates the emergent and violent dispositions of the armed groups, and reviews the convergence between militancy and security in West Africa. It does this by examining the spillover effects of militancy across Nigerian borders and into the Gulf of Guinea, the impact that the violence has had on regional energy infrastructure projects and supply and market dynamics, and the overarching impact on Nigeria's effort to contribute to peacekeeping operations and regional partnerships. The paper reveals that militant attacks on oil installations reduce government income, which would impede Nigeria's efforts at maintaining peace in West Africa, and concludes by highlighting key factors that need to be addressed for peace to be sustainable.