This paper is focused primarily on hydrocarbon exploitation, militancy and economic development in Nigeria. The objective is to the objective of this paper is to examine the relationship between hydrocarbon exploration, militancy and economic development in Nigeria. The study adopted the political economy method to x-ray the issues that are germane to the study. Findings revealed that the problem in the Niger Delta region is beyond the provision of military solution therefore any attempt at militarization of the region will engender and deepen the incidence of militancy agitations. Also, the lack of long term vision at developing the society in general in the context of human capital development is also noted by the paper. Again, the social cultural outlook which engenders disregard for hard work, dignity of labour as well as rentier mentality is another problem tormenting the soul of development in the Niger Delta region. The paper recommends that state governance should be reengineered along the line of socio-political, cultural and economic dynamics such that citizens have decent lives, job, health care, education, security and all forms of horizontal inequalities, injustice and domination. There is a need for mass re-orientation of the people to embrace the tenets of hard work and dignity of labour.

KEYWORDS: Hydrocarbon exploitation, militancy and development

Jel Classification: Q2, Q3, Q4 and O13