Some Aspects of Natural Resource Exploitation and Management in Nigeria

Abstract

Natural resources provide the all-important basis for human existence and civilization. Natural resources management has several implications for human security and public safety. A quality environment supports virile natural resources, which provide the necessary goods and services to satisfy life quality needs and mitigate famine and food shortages and their concomitant effects, including food riots and public disorder. Poorly managed and severely degraded natural resources systems will interfere with other systems, such as the climate, to produce resource conflicts and exacerbate human insecurity and undermine public safety. Africa is highly vulnerable to natural resource degradation and its concomitant impacts, a situation that has deepened the existing poverty-environment-human security linkages. This chapter explores the dimension of natural resources and natural resource management, its implications on livelihoods and conflicts, human security and public safety, and its contexts in Africa in general with particular reference to Nigeria.