Total is one of the top-ranked international oil companies operating in Nigeria. We have been present in the country since 1962, primarily through Elf Petroleum Nigeria Ltd (EPNL), which today has nearly 1,900 employees. Nigeria is one of Total’s key growth areas in Africa, through offshore developments and projects to develop natural gas reserves, especially through our stakes in Nigeria LNG (15%) and Brass LNG (17%).

Nigeria’s political and social situation requires great vigilance on the part of Total and other oil companies in the country. Pipelines and other installations are regularly looted, kidnappings of oil industry employees are becoming more and more frequent and relations with the local population are often difficult. Despite precautions, EPNL experienced a number of hostage-taking incidents in 2007. Fortunately, the hostages were well treated by their captors and eventually released.

These tragic events highlight the importance of site protection and crisis management systems. They also point to the need to forge relationships of trust with people living near oil facilities—something that is easier said than done given the tension surrounding the issue of sharing oil wealth in Nigeria. Insecurity shapes the highly complex environment in Nigeria. Total’s main priority is protecting our employees while scrupulously respecting human rights. We address this problem through two types of action:

• To ensure the security of employees, EPNL has set up a Security Department. Composed of qualified personnel, the Department liaises with national, state and local security agencies. It maintains an ongoing watch to protect and advise employees and their families. Guards from national and community security forces provide outside security for sites and installations.
• For the longer term, community programs will be deployed to fully include local residents in the country’s economic development so that they share the benefits of our activities. These programs are part of our policy to prevent conflicts and integrate locally.

Developing local employment and skills

Investing in human development
Operating in Nigeria is challenging for oil companies, with problems including insecurity, wealth sharing, inadequate infrastructure, shortcomings in the educational system and issues related to minorities. EPNL believes that integrating its activities in the local economy and society and creating value for Nigeria and Nigerians is the best way to ease tensions affecting the oil industry and improve operating conditions.

Dialogue, transparency and responsibility
EPNL and local communities are engaged in partnership development agreements that negotiate mutually approved four-year roadmaps that are jointly implemented. EPNL’s ultimate objective is to forge partnerships with national and state governments, specialized agencies and NGOs to become a facilitator, just one stakeholder among many, so that communities take responsibility for the programs and implement them sustainably and independently.

Scholarships for professionals
Introduced in 1973, the scholarship program has given over 20,000 people access to professional training and enabled them to contribute to Nigeria’s development. More than 80% of EPNL employees from host communities have benefited from the community scholarship program, without which it would have been very difficult to recruit locally. In 2007, six technicians, ten graduates (excluding engineers) and four engineers were hired from local communities.

Educating oil industry engineers
Created in 2004, the Institute of Petroleum Studies (IPS) offers advanced degrees to high potential young Nigerians to work in the oil industry. The IPS is wholly funded by EPNL, while partner Institut Français du Pétrole (IFP) provides course content. Engineers enroll in a specialized 12-month program that leads to a joint master’s degree from the IFP and the University of Port Harcourt. Sixty people have graduated since 2004, and all are working in the oil industry.

Program for young people
A vocational skills acquisition program has been created for motivated young people who want to work in such diverse occupations such as welder, electrician, mechanic, IT technician, soap manufacturer and plumber. After attending these six- to 12-month courses, graduates are given help to start up their own businesses. Since 2002, 2,094 young people have been trained in Rivers State, Akwa Ibom State and Delta State, and 610 others were taking part in 2007.

Improving living conditions
Total plays an important role in creating and maintaining local infrastructure. Not only do we help to build roads and supply potable water to 18 villages in Egiland, we have further improved living conditions by installing ten  6.5 MW gas turbines.
Hospitals and health centers have been built and equipped in Erema, Amah and Obohia in Rivers State and Ekparakwa in Akwa Ibom State. In 2007, more than 3,500 people benefited from a free health program. In addition, HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns have been conducted and free mosquito nets have been distributed.