ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS AN ETHICAL IMPERATIVE: ALLEVIATING YOUTH RESTIVENESS IN COMMUNITIES DEVASTATED BY EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES IN THE NIGER DELTA, NIGERIA

Abstract

The Niger Delta region of Nigeria, rich in oil and gas, epitomizes the paradox of the resource curse, where immense natural wealth coexists with severe community impoverishment and social unrest. The operations of multinational corporations (MNCs) have led to profound environmental degradation, destroying traditional livelihoods and fuelling a cycle of youth restiveness, crime, and militancy. This study posits entrepreneurship not merely as an economic intervention, but as a fundamental ethical obligation for corporate and governmental stakeholders to redress systemic injustices and foster sustainable peace. Adopting a descriptive survey design, data were purposively collected from 348 youths in oil-impacted communities. Results, analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Chi-square tests, reveal that entrepreneurship significantly contributes to economic empowerment (χ²=39.424, p=.002), reduces idleness and reliance on crime (χ²=43.841, p=.000), and redirects youth creativity into productive ventures (χ²=41.236, p=.000). The study concludes that fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem is a critical, ethics-driven strategy for restorative justice, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and sustainable development in the Niger Delta. We recommend that MNCs, in partnership with government, move beyond peripheral CSR to implement comprehensive, ethically grounded entrepreneurship programs that empower youth, thereby fulfilling a duty to repair and empower host communities.