THE ROLE OF RELATIONSHIP MARKETING IN MITIGATING THE EFFECTS OF OIL POLLUTION CRISIS IN NIGER DELTA

Abstract

Relationship marketing is a marketing practice that seeks to interactively relate two or more parties towards achieving a common goal guided by a set purpose. In the case of oil production firms, relationship marketing is employed to establish a relationship with customers and host communities to enable them to achieve specific objectives. This study analyzes the adoption of relationship marketing approaches by oil multinational firms in their host communities, particularly in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The study finds that oil firms use adaptive, proactive, interactive, responsive, and reactive approaches to achieve their relationship marketing goals. However, the implementation of these approaches is complicated by ethical and social issues surrounding oil pollution related crises in the Niger Delta region. The negative effects of oil pollution on the host community have led to mistrust and conflicts, which threaten the core essence of relationship marketing. The paper concludes that oil firms must commit to sustainable marketing strategies with mutual intentions and positive socio-economic impacts on the host communities rather than adopting political gambits. This study recommends that oil firms adopt sustainable relationship marketing approaches that respect the socio-economic needs and values of the host communities while addressing the issue of oil pollution.