Pollution, knowledge and coping strategy and life expectancy in oil producing communities

Purpose This study aims to examine the relationship between pollution and life expectancy in oil producing communities, where there is a dearth of empirical evidence on how knowledge and coping strategy, agriculture and foreign capital inflows mediate the relationship between pollution and life expectancy. Design/methodology/approach The study employed a cross sectional survey design to analyze the roles of knowledge and coping strategy, agriculture and foreign capital inflows in the relationship between pollution and life expectancy in Benekuku and Okpai oil producing communities in the Niger Delta. The study employed the modern structural equation modeling (SEM) estimator. Findings Estimates show the mediating effect of agriculture on air pollution-longevity (coeff. = 0.398; t -value = 4.425; p  < 0.05) and (coeff. = −0.120; t -value = −3.862; p  < 0.05) mediating effect of foreign capital. The result revealed that agriculture and foreign capital inflows are significant mediators in pollution-life expectancy relations, affirming the Niger Delta as a pollution haven. However, knowledge and coping strategy with estimate of (coeff. = 0.233; t -value = 6.150; p  < 0.05) spurs life expectancy. Practical implications The study suggests knowledge of hazard identification and reporting and awareness of coping strategy as the panacea to poor life expectancy rate in these local oil producing communities. Originality/value The study departs from existing works by estimating the mediating roles of agriculture and foreign capital inflow in air pollution-Life expectancy by controlling for knowledge and coping strategy using the structural equation model with ethical approval from Health Ethics Research Committee. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: publons.com