ABSTRACT

The study was carried out to appraise the corporate social responsibility of Multinational Oil Companies (MNOCs) in the Niger Delta. Specifically, the study described the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, ascertained the respondents awareness of MNOCs CSR activities, assessed the extent to which MNOCs CSR activities were executed, ascertained the perceived condition of the CSR activities , ascertained the extent of host community involvement in the execution of MNOCs CSR projects, ascertained perceived level of contribution of MNOCs CSR towards infrastructural development of host communities, assessed the extent to which MNOCs CSR enhanced livelihood of host communities, determined the effects of MNOCs CSR on socio-economic wellbeing of host communities and ascertained constraints associated with implementation of CSR in the study area. Multi-stage, purposive and random sampling technique was used to select 330 respondents from six communities in the study area. Data for the study were collected from primary and secondary sources, using structured questionnaire and were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as frequency, percentages mean, the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) Multiple Regression. Three null hypotheses were tested at 5% level of significance. The findings of the study showed that the mean age of the respondents was  37. 06. The study also showed that 56.1% of the respondents were male while 43.9% were females. It was also revealed from the study that 53% were married. Most of the respondents were unaware 53.2% of the CSR activities of the MNOCs; 88.6% of the respondents were educated; the extent MNOCs executed their CSR activities was scored low by the respondent as evidenced by the grand mean  1.8. Also the result showed that the respondents generally have perceived the MNOCs CSR activities to have lowly contributed to the infrastructural development of the participating communities as evidenced by the percentage mean of 34.8% for the projects were initiated and completed (ICO); 34.4% of projects were not initiated (NIN), then 30.8% were initiated but abandoned (IAB). The level of involvement in carrying out CSR activities was 21.08% which is as well low. The level of contribution of MNOCs CSR towards infrastructural development was  1.87 mean which was low. The result indicated that MNOCs CSR activities have little effects on the livelihoods of respondents in the participating communities as evidenced by the grand mean score of  2.01. Furthermore the result showed that political instability  3.44, chieftaincy tussle  3.42, bribery and corruption  2.59 were serious constraints to the implementation of MNOCs CSR in the study area. The ordinary least squares regression analysis result shows that out of 11 explanatory variables included in the model, skill acquisition, bursary scheme, student scholarship, youth empowerment, electricity supply were all positively significant at 1% which indicates that increase in CSR activities by MNOCs will increase livelihood of the host communities. The study recommended that Federal Government should enshrine laws that would compel the MNOCs to adhere to the GMoU and ensure effective implementations, MNOCs should undertake the promotion of livelihood opportunities seriously and ensure the wellbeing of the respondents is given utmost attention especially in health care delivery.