Shell–NGO Partnership and Peace in Nigeria: Critical Insights and Implications

Abstract

The recent efforts to better understand how businesses can contribute to peace in conflict zones suggest that partnerships can be an effective vehicle for corporate peacebuilding. However, empirical analyses of how partnerships contribute to peace remain limited. Drawing on the differences among cultural, structural, and direct violence, this article examines the extent to which the partnership between Shell and a group of NGOs contributes to peace in the Niger Delta region. Based on qualitative data, the article shows that the partnership contributes to conditions that might ameliorate cultural sources of violence, but not structural causes of direct violence. Hence, business–NGO partnerships are likely more suitable for conflict prevention rather than conflict resolution. The implication is that while partnership might be a useful corporate peacebuilding strategy, it is not necessarily a panacea. The article identifies areas of future research that can strengthen the emerging field of business and peace.