Home / Current Issue / Paper 1708686
Impacts of Infrastructural Development Activities on Livelihoods in The Lokichar Basin
Subject area: Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities · Area of research: Development Studies and Social Work
Abstract
In 2010, the Kenyan Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, in partnership with Tullow Oil Plc, a multinational oil and gas exploration company headquartered in London, announced the discovery of oil in the Lokichar Basin. This study investigates how oil and gas exploration activities, including land acquisition, seismic surveys, drilling operations, and infrastructure development, have affected the livelihoods of communities in the region. Using a cross-sectional survey design, the study collected both qualitative and quantitative data to assess the dual impact of positive and negative effects of these activities on local populations. The sample was drawn from four key villages near oil sites, using Singh and Masuku's (2014) sample determination formula and stratified random sampling. Findings reveal that while oil exploration has introduced economic opportunities such as job creation and improved infrastructure, it has also brought significant disruptions. Notable negative effects include land displacement, inadequate compensation, and environmental degradation. Seismic and drilling activities were found to adversely affect health, education, and traditional livelihoods, particularly in agriculture and pastoralism, posing a threat to long-term community sustainability. The study emphasizes the urgent need for oil exploration projects to adopt sustainable livelihood approaches. These include strengthening community participation in decision-making, ensuring fair and transparent compensation practices, and establishing context-sensitive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs. By integrating these strategies, stakeholders can better align development objectives with community resilience and well-being. Ultimately, this research contributes valuable insights for policymakers, oil companies, and development practitioners striving to balance economic development with social equity and environmental stewardship in resource-rich but marginalized regions.
Keywords
Oil Exploration, Livelihoods, Land Acquisition, Lokichar Basin, Sustainable Approaches, Community Resilience, Economic Impact JEL: O11, O15, I22
References
[1] Adeola, A. O., Akingboye, A. S., Ore, O. T., Oluwajana, O. A., Adewole, A. H., Olawade, D. B., & Ogunyele, A. C. (2021). Crude oil exploration in Africa: socio-economic implications, environmental impacts, and mitigation strategies. Environment Systems and Decisions
[2] Cooper, D. R., Schindler, P. S., & Sun, J. (2006). Business research methods (Vol. 9, pp. 1-744). New York: McGraw-Hill.
[3] Ejiba, I. V., Onya, S. C., & Adams, O. K. (2016). Impact of oil pollution on livelihood: evidence from the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Journal of Scientific Research and Reports.
[4] Elum, Z. A., Mopipi, K., & Henri-Ukoha, A. (2016). Oil exploitation and its socioeconomic effects on the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Environmental Science and Pollution Research.
[5] Gulati, R., Larvie, Singh, H (2003). The nature of the partnering experience and the gains from alliances to social organizations. Academy of Management Journal.
[6] Hubert, D. (2016). Potential Petroleum Revenues for the Government of Kenya: Implications of the Proposed 2015 Model Production Sharing Contract.
[7] Kamais, C. (2019). Security implications of oil exploration on socio-economic activities in the south Loki char basin, Turkana County, Kenya (Doctoral dissertation, Egerton University).
[8] Khwedim, K. (2016). Crude Oil Spillage and the Impact of Drilling Processes on the Soil at Rumaila Oil Field-Southern Iraq. Iraqi Journal of Science.
[9] KNBS. (2019). The 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Volume II: Distribution of Population by Administrative Units. Nairobi, Kenya.
[10] Kyosimire, S. (2021). Analyzing the effects of oil and gas exploration activities on people's livelihoods in the Albertine Graben in western Uganda (Doctoral dissertation, Kyambogo University).
[11] Lauwo, S. G., Otusanya, O. J., & Bakre, O. (2016). Corporate social responsibility reporting in the mining sector of Tanzania:(Lack of) government regulatory controls and NGO activism. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal.
[12] Mullins, D., & Wambayi, J. (2017). Testing community Consent: Tullow Oil project in Kenya.
[13] Rabeeh. K Salih. E, Elkhalifa. A, and Abutaba.Y, 2020 Impacts of oil exploration and production on pastoralism balila area, west kordofan state, sudan; International Journal of Agriculture, Environment and Bioresearch.
How to cite this paper
@article{1708686,
author = {John Ebei, Dr. Tioko Logiron PhD, Dr. Jared Okello PhD},
title = {Impacts of Infrastructural Development Activities on Livelihoods in The Lokichar Basin},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2025},
volume = {8},
number = {11},
pages = {1657-1669},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1708686.pdf},
abstract = {In 2010, the Kenyan Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, in partnership with Tullow Oil Plc, a multinational oil and gas exploration company headquartered in London, announced the discovery of oil in the Lokichar Basin. This study investigates how oil and gas exploration activities, including land acquisition, seismic surveys, drilling operations, and infrastructure development, have affected the livelihoods of communities in the region. Using a cross-sectional survey design, the study collected both qualitative and quantitative data to assess the dual impact of positive and negative effects of these activities on local populations. The sample was drawn from four key villages near oil sites, using Singh and Masuku's (2014) sample determination formula and stratified random sampling. Findings reveal that while oil exploration has introduced economic opportunities such as job creation and improved infrastructure, it has also brought significant disruptions. Notable negative effects include land displacement, inadequate compensation, and environmental degradation. Seismic and drilling activities were found to adversely affect health, education, and traditional livelihoods, particularly in agriculture and pastoralism, posing a threat to long-term community sustainability. The study emphasizes the urgent need for oil exploration projects to adopt sustainable livelihood approaches. These include strengthening community participation in decision-making, ensuring fair and transparent compensation practices, and establishing context-sensitive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs. By integrating these strategies, stakeholders can better align development objectives with community resilience and well-being. Ultimately, this research contributes valuable insights for policymakers, oil companies, and development practitioners striving to balance economic development with social equity and environmental stewardship in resource-rich but marginalized regions.},
keywords = {Oil Exploration, Livelihoods, Land Acquisition, Lokichar Basin, Sustainable Approaches, Community Resilience, Economic Impact JEL: O11, O15, I22},
month = {May},
}