This study modestly assails to measure the impact of the oil industry on the inhabitants of the oil producing areas of Nigeria by adopting an analysis of variance (ANOVA) methodology to test various hypotheses using six socio-economic indicators (education, health, housing, power, roads and water supply). The results revealed that the overall impact of oil on the selected socio-economic fundamentals was only significant during the oil boom era. The oil industry significantly impacted more on the development of these indicators in non-oil producing areas than in oil producing areas. This might had awoken the consciousness of inhabitants of oil producing area; therefore triggering the crisis now ravaging the Niger Delta. The study suggests community participation in equity holding; what is more, a sum equal to 50 percent of proceeds of royalty or rent from extraction of natural resources be paid to the host region.
"natural resource curse","NIGER DELTA",NIGERIA,"OIL EXPLORATION",socio-economic