Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first Africa-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet
In a world where diplomacy is the quiet engine of national development, one cannot help but wonder whether Nigeria’s foreign policy strategy – if any – under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a form of intentional generosity, unreciprocated loyalty, or simply misdirected adventure. Since assuming office, Tinubu has made several visits – both official and private – to countries such as France, the United Kingdom, and others, painting an image of a leader determined to secure Nigeria’s place on the global stage. But while the Nigerian eagle soars abroad in search of partnerships, why are these nations’ leaders not landing in Abuja?
This question opens a deeper and more uncomfortable conversation: Why is Nigeria giving so much and receiving so little in return?
The Travelling President and the Stationary Gains
It is public knowledge that President Tinubu has made France a recurrent destination, with reports indicating both state visits and private medical trips. Contracts, loans, and strategic deals have been handed out like national souvenirs to foreign companies – especially French firms – while no French President has deemed it diplomatically worthwhile to visit Nigeria, a country with a population nearing 240 million and touted as the “Giant of Africa.” Britain, our colonial uncle, continues to maintain a deeply entrenched financial and institutional interest in Nigeria, yet no gesture of equal warmth has been returned in form of prime ministerial presence or mutually beneficial summits.
This glaring one-way romance speaks volumes. It shows that Nigeria’s foreign engagement is still rooted in a beggar’s mentality – hoping that affection, handshakes, and compliance will someday translate into respect, grants, technological exchange, or improved passport dignity.
Where Are the Diplomatic Dividends?
From loans to contracts, Nigeria has been extraordinarily generous toward the foreign world. What have we received in return?
• No major technological transfer agreements.
• No education exchange programmes that empower our universities.
• No visa ease or reciprocal travel deals for ordinary Nigerians.
• No joint ventures with transparent equity for Nigeria’s youth and entrepreneurs.
• No business grants or summits that prioritize Nigeria as a regional power.
Instead, we remain at the receiving end of sympathy funds, exploitative credit, and political humiliation at foreign embassies. Our green passport is treated like a virus at international airports, and even our top officials are subject to embarrassing protocols abroad.
A Giant with Paralyzed Legs
It is ironic that a country with abundant natural resources, a thriving youth population, and a globally recognized cultural export (music, film, fashion) still lacks a foreign policy that translates global respect into domestic gain. Nigeria is structurally positioned to lead Africa – not just by population size, but by strategic geography, intellect, and resources. Yet we choose to remain politically paraplegic and economically quadruplegic, selling oil and buying insult.
Our foreign policy is not a policy – it is a plea. A plea masked as strategy. A handshake stretched too long. A faith in foreign nations who never considered us more than a source of raw materials and market consumption.
The Case for Presidential Debates on Foreign Policy
Why has no Nigerian presidential or vice-presidential candidate been compelled to participate in a live, televised global foreign policy debate, designed to test their vision, understanding, historical grounding, and local-global integration strategy? Such debates should be institutionalized and legally binding, especially as Nigeria’s survival now hinges on intelligent global engagement.
Candidates must be evaluated not just by their campaign sloganeering, but by their diplomatic sense, historical awareness, capacity to negotiate mutually beneficial deals, and willingness to uphold Nigerian dignity abroad. This singular reform could cleanse the political stage of the ill-prepared.
National Planning Commission: A Proposal for Autonomy
Nigeria’s National Planning Commission should be made an independent and powerful statutory body, free from presidential or National Assembly manipulation. It should:
• Forge long-term foreign and economic development policies.
• Propose national interest laws and scorecards.
• Track the effectiveness of foreign agreements.
• Serve as a compass for campaign promises and policy execution.
Foreign policy should be rooted in national planning, not in presidential escapism or elite medical tourism.
A Shining Case in the Dust: Burkina Faso
One may argue that military regimes lack legitimacy, but take a look at Burkina Faso’s current leadership: With minimal resources and zero Western aid, the country is redefining sovereignty and regional alliances. Whether or not one agrees with the tactics, the message is clear – true sovereignty begins with bold internal conviction and external courage.
Nigeria, in contrast, has a democratic shell with neo-colonial practices. We defer to global interests that do not even pretend to care about our people. That is not diplomacy; it is tragedy dressed in a suit.
Conclusion: Reclaiming Our Voice
Nigeria must move from a policy of panhandling and perpetual giving, to a strategy of demanding and deserving. Our foreign policy must reflect the real needs of our people, not the fantasies of our leaders. We must replace photo-op trips with productive summits, handouts with contracts that empower Nigerians, and foreign dependency with sovereign innovation.
It’s time we wake up from this diplomatic hypnosis.
If the world won’t come to Nigeria, then Nigeria must become a nation the world cannot ignore – not because we beg, but because we lead.
