Deconstructing the Energy Trilemma Through Sustainable Estate Management and Disaster Risk Reduction in Urban Communities of Rivers State, Nigeria
Keywords:
Energy Trilemma, Sustainable Estate Management, Disaster Risk Reduction, Energy Justice, Urban ResilienceAbstract
This study deconstructed the energy trilemma—energy security, energy equity, and environmental sustainability through the integration of sustainable estate management (SEM) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) in urban communities of Rivers State, Nigeria. The study was motivated by persistent challenges of unreliable electricity supply, inequitable access to modern energy services, and escalating environmental degradation, which were further intensified by recurrent disaster events such as flooding and weak institutional coordination. Despite increasing scholarly attention to the energy trilemma, there remained limited empirical evidence on how integrated urban estate management and disaster risk strategies could address these interconnected challenges in sub-national contexts. The study was anchored on Energy Justice Theory, Urban Resilience Theory, and Sustainable Development Theory, which collectively provided a comprehensive framework for analysing equity, system adaptability, and sustainability in urban energy systems. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed, with a sample of 400 respondents selected using stratified random sampling techniques. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression models. The findings revealed that sustainable estate management had a strong positive effect on energy security (β = 0.61, p < 0.05) and a moderate effect on energy equity (β = 0.47, p < 0.05), while disaster risk reduction significantly enhanced energy system resilience (β = 0.54, p < 0.05). However, environmental sustainability remained low, as fossil fuel dependence exerted a significant negative impact (β = –0.58, p < 0.05). The study concluded that an integrated policy approach was essential for balancing the energy trilemma. It recommended strengthening regulatory frameworks, promoting renewable energy adoption, investing in resilient infrastructure, and implementing targeted equity-driven interventions to achieve sustainable and inclusive urban energy systems.
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33 Cite this article as:
Brown, N.C., & Victor-Wokem, C.G. (2026). Deconstructing the energy trilemma through sustainable estate management and
disaster risk reduction in urban communities of Rivers State, Nigeria. IAUE Journal of Petroleum Economics and
Policy Studies, 1(1), 27-33.
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