Environmental Conservation and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Insights from Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Using Stakeholder and Environmental Justice Theories

Ekene Agigwom Ebisi (), Yongsheng Guo and Zahoor Ahmed Soomro
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Ekene Agigwom Ebisi: International Business School, Teesside University, Middlesbrough TS1 3BX, UK
Yongsheng Guo: International Business School, Teesside University, Middlesbrough TS1 3BX, UK
Zahoor Ahmed Soomro: International Business School, Teesside University, Middlesbrough TS1 3BX, UK

Administrative Sciences, 2025, vol. 15, issue 7, 1-24

Abstract: The oil and gas industry remains vital to the global economy, yet its operations contribute significantly to environmental degradation, one of the most urgent challenges of the 21st century. This study explores the lived experiences of those directly impacted by the negative externalities of oil and gas activities, with a focus on gas flaring, oil spills, and habitat loss. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental conservation in lower-income countries remain underexplored in the existing literature. This study addresses that gap by specifically examining Nigeria’s oil and gas industry context. It examines the extent to which CSR initiatives address or intensify these environmental issues, raising the central question: to what extent do CSR efforts contribute meaningfully to environmental conservation, and how are they perceived by affected communities? Using an exploratory qualitative approach, this study draws on in-depth, face-to-face interviews with key stakeholders, including oil company staff and host community members. Data were analysed thematically through inductive coding, leading to the construction of one overarching theme: “CSR as a strategic response.” This theme emerged from three central codes—afforestation, shore protection, and environmental conservation and remediation. Findings suggest that CSR must evolve from transactional interventionist gestures to long-term ecological stewardship.

Keywords: corporate social responsibility (CSR); environmental stewardship; oil & gas industry; environmental conservation; environmental degradation; stakeholders theory; environmental justice theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L M M0 M1 M10 M11 M12 M14 M15 M16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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