Oil in the Niger Delta was first discovered in 1956 and has since been a problem for both the people of the region and the environment . The numerous spills along with the civil unrest they caused are all factors contributing to the unstable conditions in the Niger Delta today. With the discovery of oil in this region came the hope of economic development. We now see, almost 60 years later, that it has done nothing but create environmental, economic and social problems for the people of the region (Pegg, 2013). I will examine how the depletion of economic opportunities and environmental destruction are closely linked following oil spills in the Niger Delta. One of the most significant social, economic and environmental problems in the region has been the destruction of local economies, above all, fisheries. Before the oil spills in the Niger Delta, approximately 80% of people in the region fished for a living, either as a full-time occupation or as supplemental income (Pegg, 2013). Due to the highly polluted waters of the Niger Delta, fishing for a living today is highly unrealistic and extremely dangerous. The inability of families to fish for a living is directly related to declining education levels in the area. Not only do schools receive little or no money, but in order for families to support themselves, every member, including children, often needs to contribute to the family income. This often results in children being removed from school at a young age (Pegg, 2013). Lack of education, combined with limited access to economic opportunities in the area, leaves people with few or no job opportunities. Legal alternatives include construction work, the death of mangrove wood and... the paper... they live on. We see these cases over and over again around the world. Oil extraction in the Niger Delta has proven disastrous both from an ecological point of view and for the livelihood of the inhabitants of this area. Fidelis, Allen. “The Enemy Within: Oil in the Niger Delta.” World Policy Journal 29.4 (2012): 46-53. EBSCOhost. Network. April 8, 2014. Goodman, Amy. “Nigerian Protesters Demand Shell Clean Up Massive Oil Spill.” Democracy now! Pacific Network. New York, New York, January 3, 2012. Television.Pegg, Scott and Zabbey Nenibarini. “Oil and Water: The Bodo Spills and the Destruction of Traditional Livelihood Structures in the Niger Delta.” Journal of Community Development 48.3 (2013): 391-405. EBSCOhost. Network. April 8. 2014..