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Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Communication and Stakeholder Engagement in Oil Companies in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

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Abstract

The Niger Delta has endured decades of environmental degradation, socio-economic inequities, and conflict resulting from oil exploration and extraction, including declining fishery production, mangrove loss, and disrupted livelihoods. Despite corporate social responsibility initiatives, persistent communication gaps between oil companies and host communities have fueled mistrust, protests, and recurring tensions. This study examines how Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as chatbots, sentiment analysis, natural language processing (NLP), and automated reporting can enhance responsiveness, inclusivity, and transparency in corporate-community communication. Guided by a qualitative research design using secondary data, the study finds that AI tools can help companies monitor grievances in real time, respond promptly to incidents, amplify marginalized voices, and provide transparent reporting of corporate actions. Key challenges identified include data bias, technological mistrust, poor digital infrastructure, linguistic diversity, and ethical concerns. The study emphasizes that AI is most effective when complemented by human-mediated, culturally sensitive, and dialogic communication strategies, including local language adaptation and human-in-the-loop verification. By operationalizing Stakeholder Theory and Dialogic Communication Theory, the research highlights AI’s potential to foster trust, equitable engagement, and sustainable corporate-community relations, offering a pathway for socially responsible and inclusive oil sector practices in the Niger Delta.

Keywords & Additional Information

Keywords

Artificial IntelligenceCommunicationOil CompaniesNiger Delta

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Author Information

Fredrick Wilson

@fwilso

Bowling Green State University, Ohio
Nigeria
Publication Details

Volume 2, Issue 1

Year 2026

Pages:108-121
Published:Thu Apr 30 2026
Last Updated:Sun May 10 2026