By Igwe Kelechi Njoku
A state’s foreign policy, if it is to be effective, must rest on a grand strategy – a coherent framework aligning power, policy and moral purpose.
The Nigerian government grand strategy integrates domestic renewal with external projection. It linked what we seek abroad to what we build at home. Foreign policies are codified principles that guides the official relations of states in pursuit and protection of their national interest within the comity of nations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reoriented its operation.
The new foreign policy direction with emphasis on how to make Nigeria strategically autonomous in international politics largely explains the adoption of the doctrine of the 4-Ds (Democracy, Development, Demography and Diaspora) as the quadrilateral pillars infused with modern realism, institutional discipline and developmental focus. The review of 2025 Nigerian foreign policy pursuit situates a new direction within the continuum of Nigeria’s diplomatic history from Afro-centric idealism to the present pragmatic realism that seeks dividends from our foreign relations.
It outlines the evolving grand strategy that integrates domestic reform with external engagement, highlighting economic diplomacy, digital transformation, and institutional renewal as key enablers. This recalibration is significant as the global order is undergoing transformation unseen since the end of WWII.
The certainties of the bipolar cold war era and the illusion of the unipolar moment that followed have yielded to a complex multipolarity landscape. For Nigeria, Africa’s largest democracy and most populous state, these evolution present both peril and promise. Our size, mineral resource and democratic credential confer natural influence, yet influence is not automatic. It must be renewed through strategic intent and competent execution.
The trajectory of Nigeria’s foreign policy historically illustrate staunch Afrocentric goals, from Balewa’s government assisting in bringing all African territories to a state of responsible independence to the fourth republic that demands strategic leadership for geo-political stability in Africa. Since the dawn of the 21st Century, Nigeria’s foreign policy has evolved through the dynamics and shifts amid the complexities of the evolving global order.
The global order is witnessing significant transformation from geopolitical reconfiguration, energy tensions, economic realignments, tariffs and trade wars, security threats, climate change, and technological disruptions are reshaping the global landscape in ways that demand strategic recalibration of Nigeria’s foreign policy architecture.
Since the inauguration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 29, 2023, the government through its 4D foreign policy strategy has pursued Nigeria’s national interest and has achieved the following milestones; getting President Tinubu re-elected as ECOWAS Chair, leading to the pivotal ECOWAS re-enactment treaty signing at the ECOWAS golden jubilee heads of states summit in Lagos on May 28 2025 to the maiden West African Economic Summit.
Nigeria retained its seat on the AU Peace and Security Council, Nigeria’s Ambassador Bankole Adeoye re-elected as AU Commissioner for political Affairs, Peace and Security, Nigeria achieved partner membership in BRICS and continued invitation to G20 summits. African Central Bank and Africa Energy Bank to be headquartered in Nigeria – a boost to continental financial sovereignty. Sealift Agreement with the AU for Nigeria naval vessels to support Africa peacekeeping missions.
In driving investment, trade and economic diplomacy through the 4Ds strategy, Nigeria facilitated $14 billion in investment commitments from India, secured E250 million for Nigeria business from the Netherlands. Facilitated signing of the Gulf of Guinea Gas Pipeline agreement with Equatorial Guinea. Nigeria named co-chair of Germany’s Green Guarantee Group (GGG); a new path for green finance and transition. In strengthening Bilateral relations, Nigeria secured $2.5 billion investment from Brazil’s JBS-word’s largest meat processor –plus six new factories in Nigeria and revived the Nigeria-Brazil strategic Dialogue after 10 years.
Nigeria upgraded its ties with China to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and trade tariffs on Nigeria cashews and nuts removed by China. In Middle East engagements, Nigeria unlocked investments from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Egypt in River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs). Nigeria deployed 213 Technical Aid Corps (TAC) Volunteers to Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) nations.
Nigeria secured the release of detained Nigerians in Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and the UAE as well as evacuated African student from Ukraine and other war zones globally. Nigeria facilitated the transfer of $52.88 million in forfeited assets from the U.S to Nigeria.
From the home-front, the milestone of the 4Ds extended to the foresight to reignite sustainable trade, economic cooperation and regional integration in West Africa with the Nigerian government at the vanguard of regional diplomacy convening the inaugural West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) held from June 20-21, 2025 in Abuja. The Summit aimed at charting a transformative course for the region’s economic development with key objectives, which include the creation of a harmonised trade policy framework, the mobilisation of financial resources for critical infrastructure, and the promotion of inclusive economic growth across West Africa.
This echoes the era of progressive economic partnership in West Africa leveraging the opportunities and strengths of the West African economies, held in Abuja with the theme “Unlocking Trade and Investment Opportunities in the Region”. The summit was a bold step towards a prosperous, integrated West Africa powered by trade, innovation, and the most valuable asset, the West African people.
WAES 2025 brought together West Africa Heads of States, CEOs, investors, entrepreneurs, youth innovators, and development partners to craft real solutions and unlock real opportunities. From the Presidential Roundtable to the Deal Room, from youth empowerment showcases to regional project partnerships, it was where vision meets action. The Summit reinforced a clear message that West Africa’s future will be shaped not by isolated national progress, but by strategic, cross-border cooperation anchored in shared economic priorities.
The 4Ds affords Nigeria the policy direction to reaffirm our landmark Afro-centric regional goal and geo-political resilience through strategic leadership exhibited at the symbolic re-enactment signing of the 1975 treaty of Lagos at the golden jubilee of ECOWAS in Lagos on May 28, 2025. Originally conceived to foster economic cooperation and regional integration, ECOWAS has since expanded its mandate with the reverse Lagos treaty in 1993 to encompass peacekeeping, security, and governance. Guided by principles such as solidarity, collective self-defence, democratic consolidation, and human rights promotion, the organization has played a pivotal role in conflict prevention, peace building, economic harmonization, and regional stability.
Then as the chair of ECOWAS, the Nigerian Government prioritized stable Democracy and Good Governance in the region advancing democratic norms, standing firm against tyranny and supporting transitions to constitutional governance. President Tinubu demonstrated Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to the fundamental principles that bind ECOWAS member states: democracy, the rule of law, good governance, and regional solidarity.
These are not just ideals; they are the foundations for peace, development, and the dignity of West African peoples. Democracy in the 4Ds refers to a pathway to enhanced peace and stability in Africa and around the world. The seeming domino effect of military coups and unconstitutional changes in government in West African region calls for proactive diplomacy in order to reverse the trend and restore stability. The threat to peace from terrorism and irridentism in West Africa and the Sahel can only be countered with a solid foundational basis of constitutional governance, strong democratic institutions and an alliance of democratic countries in the region. It is therefore incumbent on Nigeria as Africa’s largest democracy to pull its weight ally with other democracies and constitutional governments to reverse this unprecedented trend.
In pursuing the goals of the 4Ds goals through bilateral and multilateral diplomatic engagements with high level foreign trips, President Tinubu traveled to 10 countries for various reasons ranging from state visits, private vacations, summits in 2025. His first trip in 2025 was to Ghana to the invitation of the Ghanaian government at the inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama for his second stint at Jubilee House before travelling to the United Arab Emirates for the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit 2025 with the theme “From Climate Imperatives to Economic Prosperity: Bringing Africa Into the Future of Global Energy”.
President Tinubu reiterated that resilience against the adverse effects of climate change is essential for safeguarding our African communities and economies, but sustainability must be inclusive,” he called for resilience against the adverse effects of climate change in Africa. He travelled to Tanzania to participate in the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit on January 27-28, 2025. The Summit, hosted by the government of Tanzania in collaboration with the African Development Bank Group and the World Bank, aims to advance ‘‘Mission 300,’’ an initiative to provide electricity access to 300 million people in Africa by 2030.
In February 2025, Tinubu travelled to France on a private working visit before and later, Ethiopia to attend the 38th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly of Heads of State and Government was held from February 14-15, 2026 in Addis Ababa. With the theme “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations,” aimed on reparatory justice and racial healing, the President address focused on current security challenges on the continent, including the escalation of conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In April, the president embarked on working visits to France and the United Kingdom, during which he held consultations with officials and political stakeholders. In May 2025, accompanied by top Catholic leaders, President Tinubu attended the solemn mass marking the beginning of the Pontificate of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, the 267th Bishop of Rome and the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church on Sunday, May 18, at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. The president later embarked on two-nation trip to the Caribbean and South America in late June and early July, first visiting the Island of Saint Lucia on a state visit before proceeding to Brazil to attend the BRICS Summit on the invitation of the Brazilian leader.
Upon arrival at Hewanorra International Airport, President Tinubu was accorded full military honours and received by the Governor-General of Saint Lucia, His Excellency Cyril Errol Melchiades Charles, and Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre. The dialogue was centered on deepening cooperation between Nigeria and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), focusing on economic partnerships and cultural solidarity for shared prosperity. In Brazil President Tinubu attended the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro marking Nigeria’s debut as an official “partner country”.
Tinubu urged a re-evaluation of global governance, financial, and health systems to prioritise equity for Africa and the Global South.
In August, he attended the 9th meeting of the Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan. At the conference, he lauded the Nigerian armed forces for their successes in the war against insurgency and criminality while emphasising his administration’s commitment to addressing the root causes of insecurity through strengthening the government security apparatus and ongoing economic reforms. He spoke after the opening ceremony, during which the Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba emphasised the importance of mutual understanding, local solutions, and collaborative efforts for Africa’s development.
The Prime Minister outlined Japan’s focus on private sector-led sustainable growth, youth and women empowerment, and regional integration as he announced a collaborative economic framework between Japan and the African Development Bank that will see a maximum of $5.5 billion disbursed to Africa, utilising Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) private sector investment finance as a catalyst.
In August, he return to Brazil at Brasília, to commence a state visit and was received with full military honours at the Planalto Palace. Tinubu’s bilateral engagement with Brazil strengthened Nigeria-Brazil cordial diplomatic relations which began in the early 1960s. Nigeria formally established its Embassy in Brazil on October 18, 1966, while Brazil was the only Latin American country to participate in Nigeria’s independence celebrations on October 1, 1960.
In September, President Tinubu undertook a 10-day working vacation between France and the United Kingdom, which was described by the his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, as a period of rest combined with strategic consultations. In December, Tinubu travelled to Europe for what Onanuga called a year-end break ahead of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week ADSW in 2026. Speaking at the Summit’s theme “The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go,” Tinubu underscored the urgency and integration required for sustainable transitions across finance, technology, energy, and human capital. He noted that “the connections between climate and the global economy, health and energy systems, as well as food security must now shape the way we govern and cooperate. At this defining moment in history, Nigeria stands with the global community in moving beyond ambition and towards delivery. The nation views the nexus approach as an opportunity to align climate action with energy access, economic growth, job creation, and social inclusion. Sustainable development ensures that all systems (policy, finance, infrastructure, nature, and human capital) move forward together”.
For diplomatic balance, Nigeria maintained constructive relations with all major power while deepening south-south cooperation. Nigeria engages the United States on governance and counter-terrorism; China on infrastructure; the EU on green transition and India, Brazil and the Gulf States on investment and technology transfer. Nigeria equally demonstrated the dexterity strategic autonomy of its foreign policy in July 2025 by not bowing to pressure from the Trump administration to accept Venezuelan deportees or third-country prisoners from the US. Nigerian foreign affairs minister noted that “it will be unfair for Nigeria to accept 300 Venezuelan deportees,” he furthered added Nigeria was looking “to do deals with the US” because the country has a lot of gas, critical mineral and rare earths needed by American tech companies.
However, Nigeria was prudence in managing the narrative of the United State’s re-designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” October 31, 2025 under the international Religious Freedom Act as Nigeria strengthens its defence ties amid the persistent rise of insecurity in Northern Nigeria resulting to the coordinated airstrike on terrorist in Sokoto state on December 26, 2025.
Conclusively, Nigeria’s new foreign policy direction under President Tinubu represents both continuity and transformation. It preserves the moral core of Nigeria’s diplomatic tradition which is a commitment to justice, freedom, and African solidarity while reorienting it toward results-driven engagement in a competitive global order. Nigeria will not merely navigates the changing divides and a beacon of responsible leadership in Africa and beyond.
The author, Igwe Kelechi Njoku is a Research Fellow at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), division of Security and Strategic Studies in the Research Department. The NIIA is Nigeria’s foremost think-tank on foreign policy. Also at the NIIA, he serves in the Gen. LEO Irabor (Nigerian Chief of Defense Staff, 2021-2023) Early Warning System Centre as a threat and crisis analyst, reporting and analyzing threats to National security, West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea, and providing a reliable assessment of situations for the Nigerian Government appropriate and timely policy responses.
• Igwe Kelechi Njoku is a Research Fellow, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA),
kessiigwe@gmail.com
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