The Changing Nature of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy: Whose Interest?

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume IV, Issue VII, July 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186

The Changing Nature of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy: Whose Interest?

Ogele, Eziho Promise¹, Okutalukwe, Chidiebere Timothy^2
1Department of Political Science, Rivers State University, Nkpolu Orowurukwo , Port Harcourt, Nigeria
²Department of Political Science, University of Africa, Toru-Orua, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract: Nigerian foreign policy thrust commenced in 1960 after the attainment of political sovereignty from Britain. Africa was projected as the centrepiece of Nigeria’s external decisions. Every successive administration continued to emphasize and expand the principles of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy decisions on Africa. Besides afrocentricism, the foreign policy served the interest of Mr President, ruling and business elites, and the ordinary citizens abroad. The previous governments showed little or no concern about the welfare of her citizens abroad. However, in 2007, the Nigerian government adopted citizen’s diplomacy as her foreign policy thrust, whose aim was geared toward mobilizing the support of Nigerians at home and diaspora to develop the country economically and politically. Though, Citizen’s diplomacy was misconstrued initially. The misrepresentation was anchored on the fact Nigeria has abandoned her traditional approach foreign policy thrust (afrocentricism) to Nigeria’s citizens at home and diaspora. However, citizen diplomacy underscores the protection of Nigeria’s image and integrity at home and abroad. At present, President Buhari’s administration’s foreign policy drive focused on Nigerians at diaspora as never before. Therefore, the paper aimed at examining the changing nature of Nigeria’s foreign policy thrust; and its beneficiaries. The paper adopted a Concentric Circles model as its analytical construct. The paper recommends amongst others that Nigerian government should design robust economic programmes that are geared towards improving and enhancing economic development predicated on creating employment opportunities, encouraging local production, curbing corruption and supporting the industrial infrastructure.

Keywords: afrocentricism, citizens, citizenship diplomacy, concentric circle, elite, foreign policy.

I. INTRODUCTION

Foreign policy is one of the wheels with which the process of international relations functions. Most political independent states regulate the course of their foreign policies within the limits of their powers and the realities of the outside environment. Nigerian foreign policy began in 1960 when she gained political sovereignty from Britain. The powers to make policies were handed over to Nigerian elites who participated in the nationalist movements that midwife the self-rule. The post-independence foreign policy of Nigeria was Afrocentric. Hence, on the 20th August 1960, the Prime Minister Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Belewa submitted a Foreign Policy Statement to the House of Representative (Parliament) in Lagos for debate and approval.

Read More