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

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.