Participatory evaluation of Sustainable Community Development Parameters in SHELL’S Global Memorandum of Understanding model in the Niger Delta

Abstract

ABSTRACT International Oil Companies (IOCs) are increasingly becoming key development actors in communities where they operate. This is becoming the norm as IOCs come to the realisation that their contributions to the well-being of their host communities brings them closer to attaining their business goals. The evaluation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) actions by IOCs operating in Nigeria's oil rich Niger Delta is however characterised by a unilateral self-assessment by IOCs themselves, without commensurate integration of host community participation. In providing an alternative approach, this study utilised a participatory community-based appraisal to evaluate the Shell Petroleum Development Company's (SPDC), Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) model within the praxis of selected parameters for sustainable community development including ownership, participation, sustainability and transparency. The study argues that due to the limitations of universal indicators in the assessment of community development problems, a combination of community-based parameters works better in evaluating community development.