Historical Discourse on Nigeria’s Foreign Policy in the Fourth Republic

Abstract

The paper focused on Nigerian foreign policy in the fourth republic. Nigeria's return democratic rule in 1999 was a watershed in the smooth transition from a civilian administration to another. It established that Nigeria's foreign policy has been consistent but with slight changes by successive governments. It particularly argued that the objectives are being purposely defined within the context of the global development and reality. Using the Theory of the State to interrogate the trend and pattern of events as it affected Nigeria, the study adopted a qualitative and secondary method of data collection. It analysed how Nigeria has remained very visible and played a very important leadership role in Africa in pursuit of her national interest to consolidate her democratic experience. The study recommended that, as a more robust matter of priority, Nigeria needed to formulate a foreign policy relevant to her survival in both internal and external environments. It concludes by projecting a more dynamic role for Nigeria in a globalised world, as the democratic experience has ushered in an era of strategic, bilateral relations with several countries in the world.