Oil giant Chevron Corp. and the U.S. Agency for International Development announced Feb. 17 a $50 million initiative to improve living conditions in Nigeria’s Niger delta region.
USAID and the Niger Delta Partnership Initiative, which was set up by Chevron, will each contribute $25 million to a four-year effort aimed at promoting economic development, boosting the capacity of government and civil society institutions and helping reduce conflict in the region.
“Chevron has been operating in Nigeria for almost 50 years,” said Rhonda Zygocki, Chevron’s vice president of policy, government and public affairs. “This is an investment in developing stronger communities and the future of our business.”
Oil firms operating in the Niger delta region have been criticized for contributing to pollution and failing to encourage the development of local communities.
Read more about U.S. development aid.