Experts have called for the review of the Nigeria’s foreign policy, noting that it is long overdue.
This was the consensus by the technocrats during a Roundtable discussion on Charting the way Forward for Nigeria’s foreign policy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which held in Lagos.
Nigeria’s foreign policy under the present government, they say is still evolving, especially in terms of tactical approaches, policies directions and principles.
Speaking at the event, the Cameroonian Consular to Nigeria, Ms. Bessem Manga, called on President Tinubu to remove barriers to cross-border trade between Nigeria and Cameroon by allowing investors and private sector producers on both sides of the spectrum to explore larger markets.
The Director general of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Professor Eghosa Osaghae in his submission called on the government to ensure that Nigerians enjoy legitimacy in their host countries through robust diplomatic relations.
Similarly, one of the senior Research Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Dr. Joshua Bolarinwa, who spoke on the challenges of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy since 1999-2023, advised that Nigeria’s foreign policy should undergo a thorough review with the view to meet up with the People’s demand.
The Acting Director, Research and Studies Department of the NIIA, Professor Effem Ubi said “Nigeria’s foreign policy attitude should be more cautious than ever before with the world in crisis and openly fraught with daily diplomatic untruths.”
Nigeria’s foreign policy since independence in 1960 is primarily tailored for the protection and defence of our territorial integrity, political sovereignty and economic growth.
