Oil, British Interests and the Nigerian Civil War

Dados Bibliográficos

ID8979798
AutoresChibuike Uche (0000-0002-8106-3067, University of Nigeria, autor correspondente)
Ano2008
Volume49
Fascículo1
Páginas111-135
Data de publicação2008-03-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoThe Journal of African History (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0021-8537 • E-ISSN: 1469-5138
EditoraCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0021853708003393
OpenAlexW2145935506
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas40
Referências citadas20

Using newly available evidence, mainly from the Public Records Office (now the National Archive) in London, this article attempts to unravel the true extent of the role that British oil interests played in the decision of the British government to insist on a ‘One Nigeria’ solution in the Nigeria/Biafra conflict. While the official position of the British government was that its main interest in the Nigeria conflict was to prevent the break-up of the country along tribal lines, the true position was more complex. Evidence in this paper suggests that British oil interests played a much more important role in the determination of the British attitude to the war than is usually conceded. Specifically, Britain was interested in protecting the investments of Shell-BP in Nigerian oil. Furthermore, Britain was also at the time desperate to keep Nigerian oil flowing in order to mitigate the impact of its domestic oil shortfalls caused by the Middle East Six Day War. Supporting a ‘One Nigeria’ solution was considered its safest bet in order to achieve the above objectives

Economics · Government (linguistics · Middle East · Order (exchange · Political science · Position (finance · Spanish Civil War · African history and culture studies · African studies and sociopolitical issues · Historical and Contemporary Political Dynamics · History · Law