The development of Africa’s oil has greatly accelerated in recent years, with some countries looking at the prospect of almost unimaginable flows of money into their national budgets. But the story of African oil has usually been associated with conflict, corruption and disaster, with older producers such as Nigeria having little to show for the many billions of dollars they’ve earned. In this eye-opening book, former BBC correspondent Celeste Hicks questions the inevitability of the so-called resource curse, revealing what the discovery of oil means for ordinary Africans, and how China’s involvement could mean a profound change in Africa’s relationship with the West.A much-needed account of an issue that will likely transform the fortunes of a number of African countries – for better or for worse.
Celeste Hicks is a freelance journalist and former BBC correspondent, who has lived and worked across the Sahel and in Somalia.
Introduction1. Chad: a model project2. The aftermath3. Lessons learned for China?4. Resource nationalism in Niger5. Civil society power in Ghana6. The East African miracle?Conclusion
Africa’s New Oil is a well-written journalistic introduction to the continent’s new oil producers and its case studies can offer something of value to academic and lay readers alike.