Oil Governance in Nigeria and Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea, 2010-2014

ABSTRACT This study examined the relationship between the contradictions of rentier oil governance in Nigeria and their implications for maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG). Specifically, the study examined the effect of the security leakages in the management of oil resources in Nigeria; the proliferation of armed groups’ protests over mismanagement of oil rent in Nigeria; as well as the margin of oil revenue in relation to fishing in Nigeria, on the sustenance of illegal oil trade, the rise of illicit arms trade and use; and the ineffective control of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing in the Gulf of Guinea respectively. Thus, the central questions of this study are: Do security leakages in the management of oil resources in Nigeria account for the sustenance of illegal oil trade in the Gulf of Guinea? Does the proliferation of violent oil rent protests in Nigeria lead to the rise of illicit arms trade and use in the Gulf of Guinea? Was the prioritization of oil revenue in Nigeria implicated in the ineffective control of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing in the Gulf of Guinea? The theory of the Rentier state was adopted as our framework of analysis and data was gathered through the documentary method of data collection. Our data analysis was based on qualitative descriptive analysis and the ex-post facto research design was adopted. The study found that security leakages in the management of oil resources in Nigeria in the form of complicities of oil marketers, Private Military Contractors (PMCs) and state security agents accounted for the sustenance of illegal oil trade in the Gulf of Guinea. The study also found out that proliferation of violent oil rent protests in Nigeria; owing to oil wealth deprivation, oil patronage conflicts and state repression of citizens’ agitation against oil wealth mismanagement, led to the rise of illicit arms trade and use in the Gulf of Guinea. Finally, the study found out that the prioritization of oil revenue in Nigeria as a result of the rentier character of oil resources management was implicated in the ineffective control of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing in the Gulf of Guinea. The implication of our findings is that the undemocratic nature of oil governance in Nigeria results in criminal alliance between aggrieved politicians and non-state actors, mostly organized militant groups to boost their primitive access to oil wealth. The study recommended the there is need to democratize oil resources management in Nigeria, as well as discourage non-state actors’ involvement in the regulation of oil and other maritime activities in the Gulf of Guinea.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page - - - - - - - - - - i

Approval Page- - - - - - - - - - ii

Dedication - - - - - - - - - - iii

Acknowledgements - - - - - - - - - iv

Table of Contents - - - - - - - - - vi

List of Tables - - - - - - - - - - viii

List of Abbreviations - - - - - - - - - xi

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Abstract - - - - - - - - - - xiii

Chapter One: Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study - - - - - - - 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem - - - - - - - 6

1.3 Objectives of the Study - - - - - - - 10

1.4 Significance of the Study - - - - - - - 11

Chapter Two: Literature Review

2.1 Security Leakages in the Management of Oil Resources and

 Illegal Oil Trade- - - - - - - - - 12

2.2 Violent Oil Rent Protests and Illicit Arms Trade and Use- - - 20

2.3 Prioritization of Oil Revenue and the Control of Illegal Fishing- - - 28

2.4 Gap in the Literature - - - - - - - - 35

Chapter Three: Methodology

3.1 Theoretical Framework - - - - - - - 39

3.2 Hypotheses - - - - - - - - - 44

3.3 Research Design - - - - - - - - 45

3.4 Methods of Data Collection - - - - - - - 48

3.5 Methods of Data Analysis - - - - - - - 50

3.6 Logical Data Framework - - - - - - - 51

Chapter Four: Security Leakages in the Management of Oil Resources in

 Nigeria and Illegal Oil Trade in the Gulf of Guinea

4.1 Involvement of Nigerian Oil Marketers in Illegal Oil Diversion and

 Oil Black Market Sale in the GoG - - - - - - 54

4.2 Privatization of Security Management in the Nigerian Oil Industry

 and Oil Piracy in the GoG - - - - - - - 62

4.3 Complicity of Nigerian Security Agents in Oil-Related Crimes and

 the Illegal Operations of Commercial Oil Vessels in the GoG - - 73

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Chapter Five: Violent Oil Rent Protests in Nigeria and Illicit Arms Trade and

 Use in the Gulf of Guinea

5.1 Oil Patronage Conflict in Nigeria and the Rise of Illegal Transborder

 Sale of Arms in the GoG - - - - - - - 83

5.2 Citizens’ Protests against Oil Wealth Deprivation in Nigeria and

 Proliferation of Illicit Arms’ Use in the GoG - - - - 115

5.3 State Repression of Oil Rent Protests in Nigeria and Escalation of

 Transnational Crimes in the GoG - - - - - - 122

Chapter Six: Prioritization of Oil Revenue in Nigeria and Control of Illegal

 Fishing in the Gulf of Guinea

6.1 Excessive Reliance on oil Revenue in Nigeria and the Rise of Illegitimate

 Fish Trade in the GoG - - - - - - - 132

6.2 Oil Investment in Nigeria and Administrative Lapses in the Regulation

 of Fishing in the GoG - - - - - - - - 139

Chapter Seven: Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations

7.1 Summary - - - - - - - - - 145

7.2 Conclusion - - - - - - - - - 147

7.3 Recommendations - - - - - - - - 150

Bibliography