Niger Delta region has abundant natural resources, more importantly crude oil which has necessitated the emergence of oil exploration as the main economic activity in the region. This paper therefore grapples with the corporate social responsibility concept and its programs by oil firms in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The study made a comprehensive evaluation of the implementation of corporate social responsibility programs in two communities in Bayelsa State, two communities in Delta State, two communities in Edo State and two communities in Rivers State as representatives of oil producing communities in Niger Delta of Nigeria. The primary data generated through questionnaire, personal interview and the secondary data generated through companies published accounts, documents, reports for the study were used to either support or reject the assertions of corporations and those of the communities in respect to major or minor corporate social responsibility programs execution findings revealed that there exist a missing link between oil firms operation in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria and the host communities on execution of satisfactory major programs, especially in this period of economic meltdown. It was therefore concluded that oil firms in the Niger Delta should embark more on major programs such as road construction, building of bridges etc than minor programs such as renovations, donations, building of health centres etc.

KEY WORDS: Corporate social responsibility, Niger Delta, oil companies, programs evaluation.