Since independence, with Jaja Wachuku as the first Minister for Foreign Affairs and Commonwealth Relations, later called External Affairs, Nigerian foreign policy has been characterised by a focus on Africa as a regional power and by attachment to several fundamental principles: African unity and independence; capability to exercise hegemonic influence in the region: peaceful settlement of disputes; non-alignment and non-intentional interference in the internal affairs of other nations; and regional economic cooperation and development. In carrying out these principles, Nigeria participates in the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Non-Aligned Movement, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the United Nations.
Nigeria and International Organisations
Nigeria is a member of the following organizations:
African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States African Development Bank African Union Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South Commonwealth of Nations Economic Community of West African States Food and Agriculture Organization Group of 15 Group of 24 Group of 77 International Atomic Energy Agency International Bank for Reconstruction and Development International Chamber of Commerce International Civil Aviation Organization International Criminal Court International Development Association International Finance Corporation International Fund for Agricultural Development International Hydrographic Organization International Labour Organization International Monetary Fund International Maritime Organization International Mobile Satellite Organization International Olympic Committee International Organization for Standardization International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement International Telecommunication Union Interpol Non-Aligned Movement Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries Organization of Islamic Cooperation Permanent Court of Arbitration United Nations United Nations Conference on Trade and Development United Nations Economic Commission for Africa United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees United Nations Industrial Development Organization United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission United Nations Institute for Training and Research United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan United Nations University Universal Postal Union World Confederation of Labour World Customs Organization World Federation of Trade Unions World Health Organization World Intellectual Property Organization World Meteorological Organization World Tourism Organization World Trade Organization
The Babangida regime joined the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC, now the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation), though President Obasanjo has indicated he might reconsider Nigeria's membership.comments are being made for Nigeria to establish more bilateral relations.
Diplomatic relations List of countries which Nigeria maintains diplomatic relations with: #CountryDate123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616162636465666768697071727374757677787980818284858687888990919293949596979899100101102103—104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120121122123124125126127128129130131132—133134135—136137138139140141142143144145146147148149150151152153154155156157158159160161162163164165166167168169170171172173174Unknown
Africa Country Formal Relations BeganNotesSee Angola–Nigeria relations
Angolan-Nigerian relations are primarily based on their roles as oil exporting nations. Both are members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, the African Union and other multilateral organizations.
The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, sent a message to his Angolan counterpart, José Eduardo dos Santos, in which he manifested his interest in keeping and strengthening the excellent relations that exist between both countries, aiming at generating better benefits for the two peoples. Angola has an embassy in Abuja. Nigeria has an embassy in Luanda.See Cameroon-Nigeria relations
A long-standing border dispute with Cameroon over the potentially oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula was resolved by a 2002 decision by the International Court of Justice which granted Cameroon ownership of the region and the 2006 signing of the Greentree Agreement which led to the withdrawal of Nigerian troops from Bakassi in 2008 and complete administrative control being taken over by Cameroon in August 2013.Library of Congress, Cameroon; Nigeria: Bakassi Peninsula Transition Completed, Aug 13 2013, https://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403677_text Nigeria released about 150 Cameroonian prisoners of war in late 1998. Cameroon has a high commission in Abuja and a consulate-general in Calabar. Nigeria has a high commission in Yaoundé, a consulate-general in Douala and a consulate in Buea.See Chad–Nigeria relations
Nigeria's 1983 economic austerity campaign produced strains with neighbouring states, including Chad. Nigeria expelled several hundred thousand foreign workers, mostly from its oil industry, which faced drastic cuts as a result of declining world oil prices. At least 30,000 of those expelled were Chadians. Despite these strains, however, Nigerians had assisted in the halting process of achieving stability in Chad, and both nations reaffirmed their intention to maintain close ties. Chad has an embassy in Abuja and a consulate in Maiduguri. Nigeria has an embassy in N'Djamena. Ethiopia has an embassy in Abuja. Nigeria has an embassy in Addis Ababa.1 October 1960See Ghana–Nigeria relations Ghana set up a commission in 1959 when Nigeria was still a dependent territory. This was elevated to High Commission status on the attainment of Nigeria's independence on 1 October 1960
Ghana Nigerian relations have been both bitter and sweet. In 1969 numerous Nigerians were deported from Ghana. Relations in the 1970s were good. Ghana-Nigeria relations began on a sour note in the early period of PNDC rule. Tension rose immediately after the PNDC deposed Limann in 1981. In protest, Nigeria refused to continue much-needed oil supplies to Ghana. At the time, Ghana owed Nigeria about US$150 million for crude oil supplies and depended on Nigeria for about 90 percent of its petroleum needs. Nigeria's expulsion of more than 1 million Ghanaian immigrants in early 1983, when Ghana was facing severe drought and economic problems, and of another 300,000 in early 1985 on short notice, further strained relations between the two countries.Owusu, Maxwell. "Nigeria". A Country Study: Ghana (La Verle Berry, editor). Library of Congress Federal Research Division (November 1994). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
In April 1988, a joint commission for cooperation was established between Ghana and Nigeria. A bloodless coup in August 1985 had brought Major General Ibrahim Babangida to power in Nigeria, and Rawlings took advantage of the change of administration to pay an official visit. The two leaders discussed a wide range of issues focusing on peace and prosperity within West Africa, bilateral trade, and the transition to democracy in both countries. In early January 1989, Babangida reciprocated with an official visit to Ghana, which the PNDC hailed as a watershed in Ghana-Nigeria relations.
Subsequent setbacks that Babangida initiated in the democratic transition process in Nigeria clearly disappointed Accra. Nonetheless, the political crisis that followed Babangida's annulment of the results of the June 1993 Nigerian presidential election and Babangida's resignation from the army and presidency two months later did not significantly alter the existing close relations between Ghana and Nigeria, two of the most important members of ECOWAS and the Commonwealth of Nations. After the takeover in November 1993 by General Sani Abacha as the new Nigerian head of state, Ghana and Nigeria continued to consult on economic, political, and security issues affecting the two countries and West Africa as a whole. Between early August 1994 when Rawlings became ECOWAS chairman and the end of the following October, the Ghanaian president visited Nigeria three times to discuss the peace process in Liberia and measures to restore democracy in that country.
Nigeria and Ghana today have a close relationship, and they collaborate on various issues. Ghana and Nigeria are both republics in the Commonwealth of Nations. Ghana has a high commission in Abuja and a consulate-general in Lagos. Nigeria has a high commission in Accra. Both countries are full members of the Commonwealth of Nations.See Kenya–Nigeria relations
Kenya has a high commission in Abuja. Nigeria has a high commission in Nairobi. Both countries are full members of the Commonwealth of Nations.Nigeria recalled its ambassador, Isa Aliyu Mohammed, to Libya on 18 March 2010. The recall was in responses to a suggestion by Libyan leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, that Nigeria should separate into a Muslim northern state and a Christian southern state. Gaddafi had made the suggestion in light of recent violence between the rival religions in Nigeria which had resulted in hundreds of deaths. In addition Gaddafi had praised the Partition of India, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, as the kind of model that Nigeria should follow.
The Nigerian foreign ministry stated that it was recalling Mohammed for "urgent negotiations" due to the "irresponsible utterances of Colonel Gaddafi". The Nigerian National Assembly has requested that the government ask the United Nations to prohibit Gaddafi from calling for the division of Nigeria. The National Assembly also passed a motion urging the government to order an African Union investigation into whether Libya was attempting to destabilise the country through "infiltrators". Libya has an embassy in Abuja. Nigeria has an embassy in Tripoli.29 November 1969See Malawi–Nigeria relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 29 November 1969.
Malawi is accredited to Nigeria from its embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Nigeria has a high commission in Lilongwe.28 March 1990Both countries established diplomatic relations on 28 March 1990. Namibia has a high commission in Abuja. Nigeria has a high commission in Windhoek.8 June 1961See Niger–Nigeria relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 8 June 1961 when M. Elhad Camatte Hammodon Maiga, ambassador of Niger to Nigeria presented his letters of credentials to the Governor General Azikiwe
Nigeria maintains close relations with the Republic of Niger, in part because both nations share a large Hausa minority on each side of their 1500 km border. Hausa language and cultural ties are strong, but there is little interest in a pan-Hausa state.William F. S. Miles. Development, not division: local versus external perceptions of the Niger-Nigeria boundary. The Journal of Modern African Studies (2005), 43:2:297-320 The two nations formed the Nigeria-Niger Joint Commission for Cooperation (NNJC), established in March, 1971 with its Permanent Secretariat in Niamey, Niger.INTEGRATED ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT IN SHARED CATCHMENTS BETWEEN NIGERIA AND NIGER EGEF Council Documents, MFA Regional Annex, 2006. Niger has an embassy in Abuja and a consulate-general in Kano. Nigeria has an embassy in Niamey.21 February 1994See Nigeria–South Africa relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 21 February 1994