Revenue transparency to mitigate the resource curse in the Niger Delta?

Marie Müller, BICC (Bonn International Center for Conversion), 2010  The analysis shows that a lack of transparency and accountability was partly responsible for the negative consequences of oil extraction in the Niger Delta. Hence, revenue transparency initiatives have a certain, albeit limited, potential to mitigate the resource curse in the Niger Delta.

This paper is published in collaboration with Fatal Transactions and is primarily addressed to European policymakers, but also to researchers, NGOs, companies and the interested public seeking to make the people in producing countries benefit from extractive industries’ activities. The paper is embedded in a larger research project, aimed at understanding the link between natural resources and conflict, for many resource-rich countries experience violent conflicts instead of attaining development goals. It is a qualitative research exercise that seeks to analyze the mechanisms that may link natural resources to conflict and to assess policy options for the countries concerned. The country studies include Côte d’Ivoire, Chad, and Nigeria.